Before and Beyond the Beginning
by Breech Loader
Summary: During the hyena's youth, Shenzi must learn to control a pack. Banzai must learn to control his emotions. Ed must learn to live with insanity. A competitor for Shenzi must learn to be a scumbag. The trio has yet to meet Scar. And ALL have to face puberty.
1. The Nagging

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: The hyenas are probably my favourite Disney minions, on a par with Iago. This fanfic elaborates on how I think Ed wound up so crazy, other parts of their early life, will move on to how they met Scar, and include their time in the Pride Lands.

There will be the HELL of a lot of Shenzi/Banzai.

* * *

Chapter One: The Nagging

Sitting on a ridge overlooking the Pride Lands, the young hyena Shenzi growled in anger. Lions... So pushy and greedy and stinky and-

"Shenzi? Your mom wants to talk to you," said a young male behind her.

Shenzi growled again, but got up and headed for her mother's den. Her mother was matriarch of the pack. It sort of made her a princess; not that she thought about it that way. When the time came, she'd have to fight her way to the top, just like her mother, and every leader before her. If any males got in the way... well, the few who tried soon learned the error of their ways.

Banzai, the young male who had given her the message, watched her go, his gaze fixated on her. Gods but she was hot-

An elbow to his ribcage woke him out of the thoughts in his gradually maturing mind, "You can stop staring now, Banzai," Ed told him.

"Ah, shut up," Banzai told his brother. Still, he pulled his gaze away from Shenzi's cute ass. His brother had a point. He and Ed had their own lessons to attend.

* * *

"Shenzi?" Kiruu asked her daughter from the den.

"Yeah, mom?" Shenzi asked her.

"I'm getting old, Shenzi sweetie," Kiruu informed her daughter.

"You dragged me all this way for to tell me that?" Shenzi asked, "I know, mom. Let's not talk about it, okay?"

"Let's," Kiruu told her, "I want you to follow in my stead. I may not come back from many more hunts. When that happens, somebody has to take over. I want it to be you."

"I know, mom," Shenzi agreed, grinning, "I want it to be me too. We know all this! Why do we have to talk about something we already know?"

"You gotta be tough, Shenzi," Kiruu told her, "You gotta be strong. When you're in charge, you gotta pick a good mate. Somebody strong. Smart, too. They're gonna be fighting over you," she smirked, remembering how the males had fought over her, "You want your cubs to be strong too, so you gotta pick the strongest."

"What if I don't like the strongest?" Shenzi asked her mother.

"It doesn't matter," Kiruu told her, "I picked the strongest male, and you came of it. I know you can take over the pack when I'm not strong enough to lead. You should pick the strongest too."

Shenzi growled softly, "Why do you always have to push me around?" she asked her mother, "Why do you have to control my life like this? I bet if Abasi was still around he'd let me-"

"Abasi?" her mother's face twisted up in anger at the very name of her former mate, "Gods forbid you should pick a mate like him! Weak-willed, weak-bodied, arrogant, and a bully... strength doesn't mean beating the weak; it means taking down the strong!"

Shenzi nodded glumly. She knew her mother was right really. Abasi was a creep. He hadn't left; mom had kicked him out, and now he was a bachelor male, roaming around the pack and trying to use his status as a former mate of the matriarch to catch some tail, "Okay, he was a creep," she admitted.

"And you do need to pick somebody strong," Kiruu told her again, "Please, Shenzi. Somebody who can take care of this pack just as well as you can."

Shenzi hung her head, "Oh, okay mom," she muttered glumly, "I'll pick the strongest... if you insist..."

"That's my little cub," Kiruu ruffled her daughter's bangs. They both started to laugh as they played; a hyena's screeching, cackling laughter, "And you know what else? I think you're nearly ready to start hunting alone!"

"You do?" Shenzi asked, delighted.

"Yes. Tomorrow I'm going to send you out in charge of a few males, and you can try bringing something down. Of course you're still young, so I won't expect you to bring anything big home, but-"

"Oh, I will, mom," Shenzi told her enthusiastically, "I'll bring something really cool home! I'll make you proud!"

"Oh, I bet you will," The mother and daughter continued to play together. Both were too occupied to see the male grinning at the entrance to the den. He snickered briefly, then wandered away.

* * *

"Fisadi," the maturing cub woke up at the sound of his name, to see the male hyena at the entrance of their den.

"Father," he muttered, standing respectfully.

Chukizi grinned, "Kiruu is pushing Shenzi to prepare for choosing a favourite mate," he told his son, "And you-"

Fisadi's grin was just as mean and nasty as his father's, "And you want me to be the one she picks," he laughed nastily, then stopped, "Why would she pick me? She's pushy and bitchy and besides, Kiruu's so picky. It's hardly like Shenzi's gonna be pressed for choice anyway..."

"Because if you court her just right, she won't BE pushy," Chukizi grinned evilly, "Besides, Kiruu's getting old. You never know; she might not be around much longer to be so picky..."

"What, is she sick?" Fisadi asked.

Chukizi rolled his eyes, "No, you idiot. It's just that I might engineer a little accident while she's out hunting..." he paused, then glared again, "You're a good-looking male, Fasidi. You get it from me. If you play it right, you'll be on the right paw of the future matriarch."

"And so will you," Fisadi pointed out with a snicker. He didn't like Shenzi much, though he didn't dare say so. She was a popular young female, and he wanted to remain popular. Still, ideas were already passing into his young but evil little mind.

"True, true..." Chukizi admitted, "But don't you want to be the mate of the future Matriarch?" he asked. Fisadi nodded, "Well, you'll need to get in before any of the runts do. And I'll give you some tips on what will really catch a bitch's attention."

Fisadi nodded with a grin, and the father and son settled down to get to some serious plotting.

* * *

It wasn't Shenzi's first pack hunt, but it was the first where she had been in charge. She guessed her mother was right; she had to learn to take charge if she was going to lead the pack someday. She was gonna be a big girl soon; others were guessing that she'd grow bigger than her mother. In a few months she'd be hitting sexual maturity, and then she'd have just about every male in the pack hitting on her.

So, Kiruu had arranged for a few males at the same stage to accompany her on her first hunt without her. They were all pretty high-ranking, too. Her mom probably wanted to get her interested in them, though she couldn't say that she thought that they were very interesting.

"So, what's your name?" she asked the male padding quietly next to her.

"Banzai," he told her. He didn't dare to look at her or say anything more; he knew if he did he'd start cracking bad jokes and worse than that, he'd probably blurt out something like how totally hot she was to him. All that female muscle and the hunch of her neck were really... _really_-_ Stop right now, you're on a hunt, not a freaking date,_ he thought.

_And she hasn't even hit full adult-hood yet,_ added that infuriating voice.

_Shut up._

Shenzi looked to her other side, "And you?" she asked the male hyena with the wild grin.

The male grinned, seeing his brother slow down so that he was walking behind Shenzi. Banzai was practically feeling her up with his eyes. He, however, had little sexual interest in Shenzi; sure she was hot and a princess, but so what? What he wasn't really thinking about was that he was a little younger than Banzai; at least in the realms of sexual maturity. In age, they were non-identical male twins.

"Ed," he answered, "My ma said it made me stand out-"

"And I'm Fisadi," a third male interrupted, pushing between Ed and Shenzi, "And you must be the princess..." he smirked, "You're certainly beautiful enough..."

Shenzi almost blushed. A princess. It was kind of true, with her mother in charge and all. And Fisadi was hot. A lot of muscle, sharp teeth, and a sexy hunch. Then she remembered who was supposed to be in charge here, "Yeah, yeah, I'm sexy to no end," she gave a brief laugh, then became business-like to keep her cool, "Now we gotta single one of 'em out," she looked up at the wildebeest herd. Rush in, and you'd get nothing but a kick in the face and an empty stomach.

Banzai glared briefly at Fisadi. Why hadn't he thought up something smart like that to flirt with Shenzi first? Oh, that was easy – he wasn't smart. And he didn't have the guts; he was terrified of the almost inevitable rejection. Now that creep Fisadi had her attention...

Well, more accurately the herd had their attention. Single one out – even a big one – and the four of them could take it down easy, even with their limited experience.

One of the wildebeest was unintentionally separating himself from the full herd. He wasn't far, but it meant that if they all leapt at once, he wouldn't be able to dodge right back into the herd. The rest of the herd would panic and leave him to fend for himself. And he was a big one, but an old one too. Of course, that often meant they knew a few tricks.

If they brought him down, the hunt would definitely be a success, "Remember, go for the throat," Shenzi told them. It was one of the first pieces of advice a cub was given.

They crept in, the wind blowing their scent away, until they were less than ten feet from the wildebeest. Then...

"NOW!" Shenzi barked. The four of them leapt, not quite as one but it was barely a minute before the wildebeest was down, its throat and belly ripped open, and the rest of the herd was scattered. Without waiting, the four of them began to gorge themselves on the meat.

"Good... good hunt, Shenzi," Banzai told her as he ripped chunks of flesh out of the dying wildebeest. The fact that it wasn't totally dead but only in its agonised death throes was not something that occurred to the hyenas; that was a human thing.

"Yeah, you timed it exactly right," Fisadi pushed him aside and positioned himself next to Shenzi to eat. As the strongest hyena there right now, she was naturally getting the best pick, and being right next to her would mean he got second best. Or better.

Ed stopped eating for a moment and sniffed the air. It was heavy with blood, but there was something else there, "Guys, I think something's up," he muttered awkwardly, worried.

"Shut up and eat, Ed," Shenzi told him, "Or do you want to have to skip a meal?"

"I'll eat your share, if you're not hungry," Banzai offered to his brother with a laugh.

Ed all but shrugged and bent back down to continue eating.

That was when the Lion King leapt.

"Drop the meat, poachers," the lion growled.

"King Ahadi!" Shenzi gasped, shocked. Banzai was so surprised that he started choking on the mouthful of meat he had. Ed whacked him on the back a couple of times, and he choked it up.

"You know hyenas aren't allowed to hunt in the Pride Lands," Ahadi told them, "Too many of your kind hunt for sport."

"'Your kind'?" Ed asked, an angry look coming over his usually grinning face.

"Listen, your majesty sir," Fisadi protested, swallowing a mouthful, "This isn't sport, this is dinner."

"We caught it; it's ours, ya bullies," Shenzi snarled back at them, "Go catch your own meat."

"I said, drop the meat," Ahadi repeated as the two faced off. Then Shenzi looked around at the other three hyenas, and back at Ahadi, and started to back away, snarling angrily. Her mother had always told her she should know her limits. She wasn't strong enough to take on a fully-grown lion like King Ahadi, even with the guys. They caught the meat; for now that would have to be enough for today's hunt, "And get out of my lands," he finished.

Then something happened none of them could have expected – with a snap and a snarl, Ed of all people leapt forward at Ahadi. Shenzi was unsure whether to yell at him for being such a moron or join him to stop him from getting ripped apart. After all, she was in charge of this hunt and if anybody got hurt-

And by the time she had decided what to do, it was too late. Ed was thrown roughly to one side, his body slamming against a rock, head first.

"Ed!" Banzai yelped in horror as his brother slumped. He ran over to the unconscious form. His brother was still alive, thank the gods. But there was a lot of blood on the back of his head, and on the rock.

_Stupid, stupid,_ Shenzi thought. She should have told them all to cut their losses before it was too late. King Ahadi was glaring at them all, not a trace of remorse in his regal, arrogant face, "Fine," she snarled at the king of the Pride Lands, "Keep your dirty meat." She turned to Banzai and Fisadi, "Pick up Ed. He'll be okay," she told them both, though she wasn't so sure of it herself.

Fisadi growled at having to help the strange male, but consented to the order, and the three of them headed back to the Elephant Graveyard, their wounded carried on their backs.

* * *

Breech: Kiruu means Anger. Chukizi is another word for Hate. Fisadi means Evil Person. Kiruu, Chukizi and Fisadi are all my creations but pretty much every other character belongs to Walt Disney Pictures. Read and Review! It's not easy to be true to both hyena societies and the movie at the same. PLEASE review. It hurts my feelings when you don't, you know.

And I know the only real change is that it's Ahadi who hit the young Ed, but it will matter.


	2. The Knocking

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: Yeah, chapter two is now up. How Ed went nuts and how he survived and how Banzai got so close to Shenzi. No sex yet, but some awkwardness. I'm not sure, as I said before, that there will be sex. You know how it is.

This chapter has also been edited slightly thanks to the small edits in the first chapter – that it was King Ahadi, not two anonymous lionesses, that knocked Ed's sanity out.

* * *

Chapter Two: The Knocking

Banzai looked down at his brother, unconscious on the floor of the den. His mother Nuha was cleaning his injuries while his father Mosi stood guard at the entrance to the den.

"Oh, my little Ed..." Nuha moaned, cleaning his injuries; his bleeding ears and gashed leg.

"Damn those lions!" Mosi snarled from the entrance, "Stealing our hunts then calling _us _poachers! They probably call this 'justice'! If they weren't twice our size I'd rip 'em all apart and..." his muttering settled into a growling, angry sound.

"Mom, is he gonna be okay?" Banzai asked, "He just jumped at Ahadi and that bastard slammed him straight into a rock..." he shook his head to keep himself from crying. His mother and father always scolded him if he cried, whether sad, angry or in pain.

"I don't know..." Nuha nudged her other son with her nose, "Come on Ed... wake up... Won't you wake up for mommy?"

Ed gurgled slightly and shifted. Banzai gave a sigh of relief. He had almost been worried his brother wouldn't wake up at all, "Ed? Are you okay?" he asked his brother.

Ed gurgled again, looking around at the familiar faces – although something was wrong. He knew them, but he didn't know their names. And his head hurt. A lot. His eyes weren't focused, and his tongue lolled; not that he was even aware of it. There was somebody inside his head. They were... laughing? Laughing at something... not him, but something must be funny or they wouldn't be laughing, right?

He started to laugh, normally at first – at least, normally for a hyena - puzzling the hyenas around him, and then it degenerated into something else. He hauled himself to his paws and limped out of the cave, ignoring the adult female's order to come back. He continued to laugh as he staggered, the sound becoming less funny and more and more frighteningly insane.

Nuha and Mosi watched from the den, gaping in a combination of confusion and horror as Ed limped away, laughing and cackling so hard that he was half-choking on his own voice.

Banzai rushed after him, "Ed! Ed, wait up!"

His injured brother stopped and turned to look at him, tongue lolling, eyes just barely focusing on him. Thank the gods! He still recognised his own name at least. The laughter receded mostly, and he gurgled slightly in response. It was taking all of his concentration to not join in with the laughter inside his head.

"Ed?" Banzai grimaced, looking deep into his brother's eyes, "Are you... in there?" he asked.

"Guh..." Ed managed to hear the words and the question past the laughter that tried to drown out everything else. He nodded enthusiastically.

"I sure hope you know what I'm saying..." he muttered, "Come on, let's get back to the den... you still look like a mess."

Limping slightly, Ed followed him, but when they got back, both Nuha and Mosi were both standing in the entrance. Banzai looked at his parents, puzzled.

"Banzai, you can come in but Ed..." Mosi stopped, uncomfortable.

"My little baby... my Ed..." Nuha looked ready to burst into tears, "A demon in his head..."

Banzai looked at his brother; tongue lolling, eyes only partially focused. At his mother's words he gave a choking laugh, as if he barely understood what she was saying, "But it's not his fault!" he shouted angrily, "It was that stinkin' Ahadi!"

"I know, Banzai, but..." Mosi grimaced, "Look at him! He's lost his mind! He won't be able to hunt if he can't keep his voice down. He's a liability to whoever tries to take care of him. He probably won't make it past maturation, and we can't look after him forever. "

"Well I can!" Banzai barked, "I'm grown up enough to take care of anybody I want and me and Ed and Shenzi and Fisadi brought down a wildebeest today! If you kick him out, you kick me out! Got that?!"

He didn't wait for an answer, but turned and ran, with Ed in rapid pursuit. And he didn't look back either. He was scared that he might cry. Their own parents had just kicked them out. It had to happen eventually but not today and not just because Ed had hit his head.

Banzai skidded to a halt, having reached the border of the Elephant Graveyard. He looked at the Pride Lands, full of those lions who thought they ran the joint, got lazy and stole their kills, and... and...

He started to scream in rage, uttering every curse he knew and more at those lions. Beside him, Ed didn't fully understand why his new friend Banzai was so angry... but he joined in anyway, laughing as he screamed, making it a screeching, crazed cackle of insanity.

Which only made Banzai angrier.

* * *

Shenzi snuffled into her paws, "I feel like it's all my fault," she told her mother, "I didn't think of my limits and then Ed barged in and got hurt and we lost the meat and he could have been killed..."

Kiruu nodded, "It was a hard way to learn such an important lesson, sweetie," the aging hyena told her daughter, "It's not your fault really. You're still young; you couldn't possibly take on King Ahadi, even if he is aging now, and you couldn't have known Ed would be so silly as to try."

"I _feel_ like it's my fault though," Shenzi replied, "I was in charge; I should have done something-"

"Shenzi baby, if you really feel bad... maybe you should go talk to Banzai and Ed about this?" Kiruu suggested, "See if they blame you."

Shenzi sagged. Mother was right, as always, "I'll try," she replied, "Not that it will change anything..."

She trotted out of the den and started to look for Banzai or Ed. When she heard Banzai screaming and cursing in the distance, she headed in that direction. As she grew closer she could also hear deranged laughter as well, which seemed very out of place. As she topped the ridge, she saw Banzai furiously screaming obscenities at the Pride Lands. Next to him Ed was laughing senselessly, which only seemed to infuriate Banzai further.

Shenzi was about to just leave them to it, when she realised something; she was acting scared of Banzai! That was just stupid; she was already bigger and stronger and smarter than him. She straightened up – as best as any hyena could – and stepped forward.

"You finished there?" she asked Banzai, who was panting slightly.

He jumped and turned to see the princess standing next to him, "Damn! I mean, yeah. I mean, no. I mean, uh..."

"You're pretty pissed, huh?" Shenzi asked him.

"Yeah..." Banzai started to growl.

Shenzi looked across at Ed, who was still giggling a little, "What's wrong with him?" she asked. She still didn't know Banzai or Ed that well, after all.

"You know how Ahadi knocked his head against a rock?" Banzai growled, "Now... something's wrong with his head. I don't know what. Something... bad. I think he's gone totally out of his mind."

"Huh," Shenzi nodded. It wasn't hard to believe. Ed had turned to look at her, drooling slightly. He looked... well, okay, not stupid, but... like he wasn't really absorbing what he was seeing. Like the whole world was now just a puppet show put on for him.

"And my mom and pop are real old-fashioned; they think he's got a demon in his head," Banzai sneered, "So they threw him out. So I walked out too. I'm big enough to take care of myself," he snapped, "And Ed too, if I have to."

"You're gonna take care of Ed?" Shenzi asked, surprised.

"He's my brother," Banzai replied, "We'll both be mature in a few months. Like you..." he swallowed and started to blush.

Next to him, Ed giggled and got a quick smack in the ribs for it.

"Oh yeah," Shenzi didn't seem to notice him blushing, "There was something else I came to say. I'm... sorry," she muttered, almost too softly to hear.

"Why are you sorry?" Banzai asked, "It's not your fault. It's that dipshit Ahadi who should be sorry! He stole our kill and then knocked Ed against a rock!"

"Well, uh... if your mom and pop aren't gonna be teaching you to hunt and stuff," Shenzi rubbed her hunch, "My mom gives me a lot of special training, you know, preparation for the whole 'you're gonna be running the pack' shit... maybe I could give you both some tips? Some training time?"

Banzai stopped mid-rant and looked sideways at her. Special time with Shenzi? "That... that would be cool," he said finally, "If I could just get my claws into one lion..." he growled angrily.

"Think with your brains, not your muscles, hun," Shenzi told him quickly, "You? Take on a lion? I couldn't take on a lion. MOM couldn't take on a lion. Hell, it'd take almost a dozen hyenas to take on one lion..."

"I don't CARE!" Banzai snarled, and turned his back on her to glare at the Pride Lands again, which was a more than slightly infuriating move, "I'm gonna take on a lion and when I'm done with him, it's gonna take a dozen couriers to take him back to Pride Rock, 'cus he's gonna be in a dozen PIECES!"

"Well, seeing as I'm clearly the only sane person here," Shenzi glanced at the drooling Ed, "I suppose I'd better be there when it's time to say 'I told you so'."

She trotted calmly after Banzai, who was practically inviting lions to jump out and maul him a bit. She looked behind her at the Graveyard, where Ed was sitting on the top of the skull, tongue lolling as he stared at nothing. Well at least she didn't have to take care of him too.

* * *

"It's not MY fault that King Ahadi showed up, dad!" Fisadi whined, "I was really getting to her, I could tell. It was gonna be awesomeness; you shoulda seen those two losers looking at me!"

"You had a perfect opportunity to walk her back to her den and do some comforting and you just threw it away and let Kiruu do the job!" Chukizi snarled, "Do you know all the grovelling I had to do to Kiruu to get you into that practice hunt?" he picked up his son's ear, "Hello? HELLO-OOOO!" he shouted in there, "Anything in there? From now on, any opportunity you get to hit on her, you take. Got it?"

"Why bother anyway?" Fisadi growled, "I'm only ever gonna be Second In Command at best. Besides, you just want me to do it so I can crush her emotionally. I don't even CARE-"

"Don't you get it?" Chukizi snarled, "Once she's crushed emotionally, she can be crushed physically! Once she's down and out, you get your power, I get a decent son, and those uppity females get what's coming to them."

"But Kiruu will go nuts if I hurt her!" Fisadi protested, "And thanks for the support dad, but I like my insides to stay on the inside."

"Leave Kiruu to me," Chukizi told him.

"How?" Fisadi asked, "You never explain how. Kiruu could kick your tail from Algeria to Zambia. And don't pretend she's too old for that 'cus you're getting old too and-"

He received a cuff around the ear, "I don't intend to fight her," Chukizi replied sharply, "There are smarter ways to destroy somebody. I want you to remember that... because when this pack is rid of Kiruu, you won't be the only one courting the new matriarch."

* * *

Breech: Chapter complete. Read and review. It'll get more interesting than ever really soon.


	3. For Your Lives

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: Chapter one has been altered slightly – just so that it was King Ahadi who knocked Ed's head. You know, so that the hyenas could have a good old grudge against him too. Oh, and this chapter is a little short but it's important too.

* * *

Chapter Three: For Your Lives

"You never listen, do you?" Shenzi asked Banzai. He'd taken one look at the lioness he'd planned to jump, and changed his mind, "You know when I'm in charge you'll have to listen to me," she told him.

Banzai almost said something rude, but then glanced at the larger, stronger female. Insulting far-away lions was one thing but Shenzi was big enough now to kick his butt. Instead he just settled down in the grass upwind, glaring at the lionesses and their cubs. Then he had an idea.

Why hadn't he thought of it before? One of the cubs! Get rid of a lion or lioness now and save them some trouble in the future, and get a tasty meal at the same time. The lionesses often had to leave their cubs alone to hunt and while they usually used a sitter they didn't always have that luxury.

They crept around. Shenzi stayed quiet; sure Ed had been hurt but he was alive, which was better than they would be if they got caught. They watched a lioness pick up her two cubs and carry them away, before tucking them in the grass and trying to hide them. But because the two hyenas were right there watching, it made no difference at all.

They watched until the lioness was out of sight, before Shenzi spoke again.

"This is a bad idea, Banzai," she told him.

"Aw, we're cutting two lion cubs out of the food chain and getting a snack," Banzai told her, "What's your problem?" They advanced on the spot the cubs had been concealed in, "You get one, I'll get the other and they get what they deserve," he dragged one of the lioness cubs out, "You lions... always making out we're the scavengers..." he sneered at the tiny cubs, paralyzed in terror, "Well now it looks like we're just gonna hafta have whatever's... lion around!" he cackled in laughter.

"And just what are you two mongrels doing in my territory again?" a smooth voice asked them. They looked around to see King Ahadi standing over them.

Banzai whimpered. Taking on two cubs was easy. Standing face to knees with King Ahadi had not been on his agenda for revenge, "Heh... we were just... uh..."

"Haven't I seen you two miserable poachers before?" Ahadi asked them, especially scrutinising Shenzi.

Shenzi whacked Banzai upside the head, "My last words are not gonna be 'I told you so'," she hissed at him, then looked up, grinning widely, "Your territory? Oh, this is _your_ territory? We had no idea, we was just taking a little vacation... I mean, uh..."

"Yeah, uh, vacation," Banzai chipped in, as the pair of them started to back away, "Ya know, a little time out from the Graveyard, some fun huh? A real laugh!"

"A laugh indeed," Ahadi said dryly.

"They were gonna eat us!" one of the cubs shouted out.

"Shut up, ya bite-size furball piece of-" Shenzi stopped mid-sentence as the huge lion roared in rage.

"Shall we run for our lives?" Banzai asked her politely.

"Oh, do let's," Shenzi told him.

The two of them fled. The lion didn't bother chasing them, instead remaining with the lioness cubs to make sure they were all right, but Shenzi and Banzai didn't stop running until they were back at the graveyard.

"Wow, Shenzi that was a close-" Banzai started.

He was cut off as Shenzi jumped at him. It was only a very brief scuffle before the stronger, angry female had pinned him down on the rock, "WHAT DID I TELL YOU?!" she shouted at him.

"Uh... I told you so?" Banzai asked.

"Before that!" Shenzi snarled, slamming her paws on his throat.

"Uh... uh... You're pretty pissed?" Banzai asked, choking slightly.

"AFTER that!" Shenzi growled, digging in her claws a little.

"I... uh... urk..." Banzai gurgled, trying to think of the answer she'd want, "Think with your brains, not your muscles?" he choked.

"Louder!" Shenzi snarled.

"Think with your brains, not your muscles!" Banzai shouted.

"LOUDER!" Shenzi screamed, leaning forward so that they were nose-to-nose.

"THINK WITH YOUR BRAINS, NOT YOUR MUSCLES!" Banzai yelled desperately.

"Good boy," Shenzi got up off him, "And don't forget it, because the next time you do, I won't be digging my claws into your _neck_," she warned him nastily, before turning and trotting away. Rubbing his sore neck, Banzai heard her mutter, none-too-quietly, "What a stupid sack of shit..."

Banzai hung his head. He'd wanted to rip up a lion cub or two, but he'd also meant to look big to Shenzi. Not just the best prospect for the future Matriarch, but... major hotness. Strong, smart and sexy, with a great smile. But all he'd done was show himself to be an idiot to her...

Behind him, Ed strolled up, giggling. He had watched the whole thing. Every moment of it had been hilarious. Of course to Ed now, pretty much everything was hilarious.

"It's not funny, Ed," Banzai growled.

Ed covered his mouth with his paws, trying to stifle himself. So funny, how Banzai wanted Shenzi and he'd acted the big hyena but in trying he'd made himself look stupid and weak... A few muffled yelps of laughter later, and he failed, loudly, all but screaming with the beautifully ironic hilarity of it all.

"Stop laughing!" Banzai snarled.

Ed rolled over, hitting the floor as he laughed along with the others in his head. He wasn't even sure what they were laughing at any more, only that they couldn't think of a reason to stop.

Banzai growled and jumped at him angrily.

Fisadi watched the brawl with a grin from a distance. And now Shenzi was on her own, muttering to herself angrily. Now that was what he called an opportunity. Of course if he messed up he'd probably take an ass-whupping too, but if he didn't at least try he'd definitely get one from Chukizi. He walked up behind her carefully.

"...Can't believe I even bothered to follow him out there..." Shenzi was muttering, "Would've served him right to get torn apart... He sure would have done if I wasn't there..."

"Yeah, I guess you didn't know how stupid Banzai is," Fisadi commented loudly, making her snap round to look at him, "What you need is a guy who pays attention to what you say... and will do anything to satisfy you..." he leant in with a smirk.

"Well... that is how it's supposed to work," Shenzi agreed uncertainly.

"Somebody who's willing to listen to your brains, rather than your muscle," Fisadi continued, "Somebody who really... appreciates you for you."

"Hey, I remember you," Shenzi said suddenly, "You were at the hunt, when Ed was hurt. And you said..." she blushed.

"Yeah, I said," Fisadi agreed, and sped up to walk beside her, "And I meant it too," he watched the embarrassed Shenzi, "And you're even cuter when you get all embarrassed like that."

"And modest, don't forget that too," Shenzi joked, then laughed, "Keep going," she encouraged him.

"And smart too," Fisadi complimented her some more, "I just love your sense of humour... I like a lot of things about you," he added. _Like how you're gonna run the pack,_ he thought.

"Heh... " Shenzi stopped walking and scratched at her ear fiercely. It would take a total idiot to not see how hard he was flirting with her. It was cool; she liked the feeling of power it gave her, but still... she hadn't fully matured yet, and neither had Fisadi, "And I'm sure I'll think of something I like about you... in time," she told him flirtatiously. Then she got back up and trotted away.

Fisadi grinned. So she was pulling the old 'hard to get' card? Oldest one in the book. When somebody played hard to get, basically they were already wide open.

Which was a good thing, because he'd run out of pick-up-lines. He'd have to think up a few more before he tried again.

* * *

Banzai kicked Ed off him. Before the incident with Ahadi – he knew he would never, ever call it an 'accident' – Ed had been as good a fighter as any female his age. Now half the time he was biting at himself. Maybe mother and father had been right – Ed had been mentally crippled by the knock to his head and probably wouldn't survive past maturation. Even if he did, he would probably never get a mate. And since they had both been kicked out of their den so early, their status in the pack had dropped sharply.

But Shenzi was being trained by the strongest female in the pack, and she'd practically promised him that she was gonna help him train, and help Ed train too of course, which meant that he was gonna spend a lot of time around the sexiest hyena bitch around.

Not that she'd see it that way, but still...

He could make her see it that way, right?

Ed finally realised he was biting at himself. Banzai had won the fight because he was fighting himself too! Oh that was such a laugh! The laughter in his head agreed, so he started to laugh again too, this time at himself. And then he couldn't remember why he had started laughing, but the whole world was hilarious so why stop?

Banzai looked sideways at his brother. Was there any sanity left in him? Was there anything there that could still be classed as 'normal'? He doubted it. But for a moment there, when Ed had started laughing, he had gotten the feeling that, while Ed lacked sanity, he did not lack lucidity.

_You're just clutching at straws,_ he thought angrily, _Ed's way gone. _

Almost as if to prove those thoughts, Ed's laughter slowed to a halt, and his brain slipped into neutral, tongue lolling, eyes vacant.

Banzai looked at him, waving a paw in front of his eyes briefly, "Man, I hate lions," he said loudly. He looked around for something to take the anger out on. Ed was just too easy a target. Eventually he settled for grabbing a bone that still had a few scraps of meat on it and chewing until it cracked and broke.

* * *

Breech: Okay, so this chapter is a little shorter but next chapter, Taka comes in for the first time. Briefly.


	4. Drought

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: This chapter is based loosely on "A Tale of Two Brothers", a book which takes place before the movies. Except this one includes Fisadi too. After all, this is my interpretation and I'll alter it so that there was a fourth hyena there if I want to. Since those books involved Kopa in places, they're not even properly canon. And yeah, Ed is pretty much a schizophrenic, even when he does show his lucidity.

* * *

Chapter Four: Drought

And then a drought spread across the Pride Lands. The hyenas rarely paid much attention to problems concerning the Pride Lands, but the drought made it harder than ever to hunt, whether for food, or more importantly, for water. The pack was getting more practice with hunting meerkats and savannah hares than it was with wildebeest and zebra. Which were really not very filling for the stomach.

"I'm hungry," Banzai declared to Shenzi, "Soooo hungry..."

"That's all I've been hearing all day, from you and every damn hyena in the pack," Shenzi told him, looking across the savannah, "And you know what? Those words aren't very filling."

A couple of minutes passed, "I'm hungry," Banzai declared again. His stomach growled loudly.

"Shut up!" Shenzi told him, "I'm looking for a target."

A few minutes passed, "Aren't there even any little sick ones?" Banzai moaned, "Or even some buzzards to fight off the bones? I'm so... goddamn... hungry!" Next to him, Ed giggled, "And it's not funny, Ed!"

That didn't stop Ed laughing. SOMETHING was funny about the situation. It probably wasn't funny that he was as hungry as his brother and his friend, but he wasn't sure. The laughter went on regardless. Banzai was getting irritated by the laughter, so Ed tried to stop, but even though he managed it for a few seconds, the other voices wouldn't stop. So he gave up and started laughing again, along with them.

"Quit it!" Banzai barked at him.

More laughter. Banzai knew his brother couldn't help it, but that was part of why it was so infuriating - every time Ed lost it, he was reminded of how lions had destroyed his brother's mind, and it pissed him off. He started to growl.

Just before Banzai jumped at Ed, Fisadi appeared suddenly, "I know where there's food," he told Shenzi, rubbing up close to her, and watching in amusement as Banzai and his stomach growled softly at the sight, his focus of anger switching sharply.

Shenzi did her best to ignore how close Fisadi was getting, and remain aloof from it all, "Where?" she asked.

"Some old mandrill came into the Pride Lands," Fisadi told her, "Over by Five Stones."

"Well go and get him yourself," Banzai growled at the other young male.

"Well," Fisadi cuddled up a little closer to Shenzi, "I was hoping to share him with you," he told her, watching her blush hotly.

Shenzi gave it some thought, "We'll ALL go," she told him. Despite Fisadi's charm, she often felt deeply uncomfortable being alone with him.

Fisadi glared as Banzai smirked triumphantly at him.

* * *

The Five Stones weren't all that far from the graveyard. And the old mandrill resting there looked too old to put up a lot of fight. Just the same, the four of them were still relatively young, really just teenagers in hyena years, and Shenzi was cautious of that stick the old ape was holding. It would take the four of them to bring him down safely. Not that there was all that much meat on him anyway.

"Looks like you came through for once," Banzai told Fisadi, "Now for... LUNCH!" he barked. The four hyenas raced towards the aged mandrill, who raised his stick threateningly. But he didn't look at all confident about taking on the four of them.

"Looks pretty tough meat," Banzai commented.

"Hey, even if he's totally inedible... we can still have a lot of fun with him," Fisadi commented.

"We're getting good at this," Shenzi declared as they started to close in, and she crouched down, ready to pounce, "I'll go for the throat; you three bring him down from the body-"

"DESIST!" a great voice roared from above them.

The four hyenas looked up, shocked, as did the mandrill. King Ahadi was standing above them, accompanied by two younger lions, not even grown into their full manes yet. One looked quite ready to fight, while the other just looked irritated by the whole situation. And suddenly it was the hyenas who were surrounded. The four of them couldn't have taken on one lion; three would be suicide.

"Fisadi you moron!" Shenzi hissed at him, "If we get out of this alive, I'm going to KILL you!"

"How was I meant to know Ahadi would be here?" Fisadi snarled.

Shenzi whacked him on his nose, "You dragged us all this way to hunt some tough old mandrill just for the sheer joy of it?" she hissed angrily, "You know how Ahadi gets about hunting for sport!"

"I just wanted-"

"SILENCE!" King Ahadi roared again. He surveyed the four hyenas. The three males he didn't need to recognise, but now he had seen the female repeatedly, and recognised her on sight despite her youth. Shenzi, daughter of Kiruu, and the most likely prospect for the hyena matriarchy. From what he knew, Shenzi was smarter than her mother, and would probably grow up to be stronger than her too. To kill her would incite war with the hyena pack – and the hyenas far outnumbered the lions. If they really wanted to, and didn't mind some losses, they could as a collective army utterly crush the entire pride.

"We're shutting up right now!" Fisadi said quickly. The three young males cowered. Ed covered his eyes with his paws and started giggling and whimpering both at once, as if not being able to see the three lions would make them disappear.

"You have eaten already," Ahadi commented calmly.

Shenzi stopped crouching and drew herself up as regally as it was possible for a hyena to do, though she was still shaking, "But Ahadi," she whined, trying to grin in a friendly and ingratiating manner, "There's hardly any meat on those savannah rabbits, and meerkats run so much that they're more trouble than they're worth and-"

"Silence, Shenzi!" Ahadi told her, and she instinctively cowered again, "You were going to hunt for sport. You know that is forbidden in the Pride Lands."

"But Ahadi, we weren't gonna-" Shenzi started.

"The four of you will leave, now!" Ahadi commanded her.

The hyenas fled.

* * *

"Ahadi is such a CREEP!" Shenzi whined for the third time that day since they'd been chased away from the mandrill, "It's obvious why he didn't want us to get that old mandrill. He just wanted to have it for himself."

"They say we hunt for sport?" growled Fisadi, "Last time I checked, it was lions robbing us of OUR hunts! And if lionesses give birth to lion cubs, I heard the adult lions often kill them so that they won't -"

"Grow up and overthrow them," Shenzi finished, "Yeah, it's true. And they have the nerve to call us killers!"

"Man, I hate lions!" Banzai growled, "It was Ahadi who knocked Ed senseless! Man, I hate Ahadi!" Ed just laughed and drooled a little, before his brain slipped back into neutral. Banzai waved his paw in front of his brother's eyes, "I think that's all we're getting," he said after a few seconds.

"My mom says Ahadi's getting old, though," Shenzi told them, "He's going to leave his throne to his older son, Mufasa."

Banzai grinned, "Ahadi's gonna die? That's a good thing, right?" he asked.

"No," Shenzi replied, "Mom says Mufasa's like a little Ahadi Junior. Believes all the same crap about lions ruling in the stars as well as the Pride Lands, and hyenas being scavengers. Little brat." She gazed up at the stars almost as blankly as Ed for a moment, lost in thought.

"The four of us could probably take him out, and only lose maybe one," Fisadi pointed out, glancing at Banzai as if to name his favourite candidate for that unfortunate event.

"Yeah, and that makes me feel _so _much better about the whole idea," Banzai scowled. He scratched at an itch behind his ear, watching Shenzi walk away from them without another word. And Fisadi followed her again. Jealousy burned in him like a fire, or maybe even heartburn.

* * *

The next day was even hotter than the day before. Many of the waterholes were dry, but there were still trees growing. And where there were trees, there was water. And thirsty or not, you dug down for it. To add to the slight improvement in the situation, an impala had died near the tree a couple of days ago, and provided a good meal, even if it was slightly rotten.

"I hate having to dig for water," Fisadi complained, "Digging is a meerkat thing."

"Yeah? Well I hate lions," Banzai said again venomously, as he dug. Ever since Ed had had his accident, those had become Banzai's favourite three words. And much as Shenzi agreed with him, they were getting tiring.

"Well, I hate Ahadi," Shenzi replied, "Always telling us what we can and can't hunt. Those creeps never shut up about their Circle of Life shit but whenever we come into it, it's all 'Oh, you guys don't count because we're the pretty ones'," she feigned mincing around, speaking in a mocking voice. It wouldn't have been even half as funny, but considering gender roles were reversed in hyena packs and female hyenas were bigger, tougher and stronger than males, it was hilarious, "Oh, I'm a Lion King, I'm Ahadi, I'm pretty and I don't want to mess myself up by hunting so I'll just steal the kills of other animals!'."

Fisadi, Banzai and Ed all burst into laughter at that, "Oh, do it again!" Fisadi laughed.

Shenzi grinned hugely, and put on the voice again, "I'm a lion and I'm so big and strong that its the job of the lionesses to do the hunting! I'm so big and strong that I have to banish the second-best predators in the Pride Lands to get enough to eat! I'm so big and strong that I kill lion cubs to make sure they don't grow up to overthrow me!"

The four of them burst into laughter all over again at that, but once again got back to eating the left-over meat and digging for water, except for Ed, who was still rolling around laughing.

"Man, but I'm so sick and tired of Ahadi bossing us around all the time," Shenzi said. She'd finally dug down to a point where the soil was damp, and dug a little faster, "Who the hell does he think he is, anyway?"

"He's the Lion King," Fisadi pointed out, "He can push us around all he likes. He's the big boss."

"The top cat," Banzai finished. Beside him, Ed snickered.

"You think that's funny, huh, Ed?" Shenzi asked the vacant hyena. She smacked a piece of rotten meat at him, but it hit Banzai on the nose, who yelped. She ignored him, "You guys know what I mean. He's always stealing our meals..."

"Spoiling our fun..." Fisadi grumbled.

"And Mufasa's probably gonna turn out to be just like him," Banzai complained, rubbing his nose before he started eating again, "Well, things are gonna change around here," he commented, speaking with his mouth full of meat, "Ahadi won't live forever..."

Ed snickered wickedly at that.

"And if something happened to Mufasa..." Fisadi grinned at the thought, "Then WE'D be the ones who were top dogs!"

"Top hyenas," Banzai corrected him.

Shenzi lapped up what little water she had dug down to, "When I'm in charge of the pack, I'll think of a way to get rid of Mufasa," she told the three males confidently, "Then we'll get to hunt whenever and whatever we like!"

Ed burst into delighted laughter at the thought of it, and the four hyenas finished eating their rather unsatisfying meal, before picking up the remains of the carcass, and dragging it back to the graveyard for later devouring every last scrap of hide and bone.

"So, what do you plan to do about Mufasa and Ahadi?" Fisadi asked Shenzi as they arrived back at the graveyard, brushing up close to her.

"I don't know," Shenzi admitted, "Yet," she added thoughtfully, "I need some time to think about it." Just as she had said, when they returned to the graveyard, she took a large, meaty bone from the carcass of the impala, and wandered to the border of the graveyard, looking out across the vast savannah thoughtfully. She saw many things, but none of them gave her any ideas on how to take Mufasa out of the picture, let alone Ahadi.

Inevitably, the strongest survived, and Ahadi was stronger than she was. By the time she would be strong enough to take him down – which would rely on him being old and weak – Mufasa would be big and strong enough to fight off a dozen hyenas by himself, and he'd just get mad that hyenas had killed his father.

Sulkily, she slumped down on the skull of the huge bull elephant, staring across the grasslands, and started to chew on the bone thoughtfully, waiting for an idea that didn't come.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Fisadi until he was right beside her, "Hey, Shenzi," he grinned at her charmingly.

"You're not having my bone," Shenzi protested, still chewing on it.

"Oh, don't worry, I'd never try to take anything away from you," Fisadi started to charm her for all he was worth, "Besides, I brought my own snack," he dropped his own bone and then started to chomp on it, "I guess you're kinda stuck for ideas?" he asked her.

"I'll think of something," Shenzi insisted.

Fisadi worked his way closer to her, his lips very close to her ear, "You know, I heard that Ahadi's other son Taka doesn't like Mufasa much," he pointed out softly.

"Hmmm..." Shenzi barely even noticed Fisadi nuzzling at her ear, "A Lion King wouldn't be so bad... if it was the right lion," she said thoughtfully. Then her thoughts were cut off when she realised how close Fisadi was getting to her, "Hey! Cut that out!"

Fisadi didn't cut it out, though, "Shenzi, I'm just trying to make you... feel better," he said smoothly, "I'm so sorry about getting you into trouble with Ahadi the other day." He licked her cheek gently, and she blushed deeply.

"Fisadi..." she whined like a petulant cub, still blushing.

"Shenzi... darling..." Fisadi was oozing charm, "You're so beautiful when you show your vulnerable side... even for a moment... I do wish you'd show it more often."

"I can't afford to," Shenzi protested, "I'm going to run the pack. I can't be vulnerable."

"Shenzi... my sweet, sweet Shenzi," Fisadi grinned widely, "No matter how vulnerable you became, I could never bring myself to hurt you. Not even for a moment. So... if you ever want to show that side of yourself with me... don't be afraid to."

* * *

Breech: There you go. New chapter fitting in neatly to semi-canon history. DO tell me what you think. Tigeress PL may not be interpreting my story as I fully intended it to be, but hers is the kind of review I like to read! It even gives me more ideas for future chapters!


	5. Kill You

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: Actually, if you look in the right places you can find "A Tale of Two Brothers" on the Internet.

Also, I'd like to add something I should have said a while ago – when Shenzi or Banzai speak in a 'soft' or 'gentle' manner, they are actually speaking in the tones of their very first lines, for example with Shenzi; "Well, well, well, Banzai, what have we got here?". Sure, that's not VERY soft or gentle, but these _are_ the hyenas we're talking about.

* * *

Chapter Five: Kill You...

A few months passed. The drought ended, much to everybody's relief. Soon afterwards, Ahadi's reign ended too. Some animals contemplated that the stars themselves were weeping. The hyenas commented that they were probably weeping for joy. Not that it made it a whole lot better, because now Mufasa was in charge, and Mufasa was younger, stronger, and able to chase hyenas away for longer.

Shenzi was as good as her word, teaching Banzai and Ed everything she learned from her mother. Kiruu had no problem with it; in her eyes, Shenzi was practicing her own moves. Besides, teaching a hyena like Ed to hunt was rather like teaching a very young hyena cub, and Shenzi would hopefully have plenty of cubs of her own someday.

Ed's mental state hadn't improved. His fighting skills had improved with training, although he still had a tendency to get confused mid-fight and start kicking at himself or chasing his own tail. His hunting skills were just below average – he made for a great distraction. Plant him somewhere on his own upwind of the herd, and then he'd start advancing and laughing. The herd would panic and scatter, and the stronger hyenas would pick off one of the stragglers.

And Fisadi kept it up with Shenzi. He was vaguely aware that Banzai now whole-heartedly despised his advances on the 'princess' of the pack, but the short-tempered male was no concern of his. Fisadi knew he was getting real close now; Shenzi was spending more time listening to him, and sometimes threw compliments his way, which was a big deal with females.

And this generation was hitting full maturation, which was both interesting and terrifying at the same time. Some of them were excited, others disappointed, and all of them getting bigger teeth, claws and muscles. Their fur was getting rougher and darker. The males found their howls and voices becoming deeper and developing new and interesting thoughts to go along with the darker grey 'stubble' on their snouts. And some even got bigger brains too.

* * *

"I call this the Suicide Drill," Shenzi told Banzai, "Attack me."

"You what?" Banzai found his voice squeak embarrassingly, and coughed, making sure it was deep again, "I mean, what do you mean?" he asked again.

Shenzi chuckled, both at Banzai's attempt to sound macho when his voice was still developing, and his attempt to sound intelligent when in reality all he really seemed to think about was fighting and eating, "Attack me," she repeated, her own voice slightly lower than it had been in her youth, "You can't beat me, but try. It lets me know just how much you've learnt."

Banzai watched her as she turned her back on him, muscles shifting under her fur. Gods, since her own voice had become huskier she even _sounded_ sexy. She seemed only slightly aware of just how much attention she drew from almost every male in the pack, only really noticing Fisadi's interest.

Banzai knew damn well he had been attracted to Shenzi for ages now, but now that he was maturing, those feelings were almost tearing him apart. But he was a loser. Nuha and Mosi had chucked him and Ed out like last month's chewed bones and the entire pack knew it. Sure, Shenzi gave him extra training, but that was all guilt. Besides, when they practiced hunting, she took other females and males as well. He wasn't special to her.

And there was Fisadi too, of course. Good family, tough guy, and total asshole – at least, whenever Shenzi wasn't watching. When she was there, he would suddenly switch on the smarm, and she was falling for it, hook, line and sinker. Banzai hated Fisadi almost as much as he hated lions.

_Gods I want you so bad it hurts,_ he thought as he sat and stared and drooled slightly, as she sat there waiting for him to jump her.

"Well?" Shenzi asked a little impatiently, breaking him out of a rather delightful fantasy involving him, Shenzi and a waterhole filled with lard.

"Just... planning for the right moment," he managed. Behind him, Ed giggled. He'd seen the way his brother was looking at Shenzi. Against all expectations, he had matured too, and while as clueless as ever about almost everything else, he at least knew about hormones.

"Oh, come on. I can't even see you," Shenzi chuckled, "Which isn't exactly a loss..."

Banzai lowered himself to the ground, trying to hide. Not that there was much to hide in. Then he realised something, "Hey, this isn't fair," he said suddenly, "You're downwind of me. You can smell me coming, and hear me better and-"

"You are _definitely_ getting smarter," Shenzi sounded pleased as she turned back around. Banzai preened slightly. Then she jumped him.

Banzai would have been happy to let it end right there, with her on top, but he knew what he was expected to do. So, he scrambled to try and get back on top. And he did manage, a few times, but her greater strength always sent him onto his back again. As a male, he would probably never be able to best her in a fight.

"Say it!" Shenzi laughed at him.

_Flirt with her! When do you think you'll get a better time?_

"Say what?" he asked, looking up at her innocently. They were so _close_. It was just another training game to her but to him it was so, so much more already...

"Say 'uncle'!" Shenzi commanded.

"Why? You just said it!" he told her with a grin, "I win!"

Shenzi stopped, then laughed. And suddenly they were laughing together, "Good one," she laughed, he laughed and Ed laughed, and she backed up off him, "I guess you win this time," she smirked.

_Flirt! Right now! For crying out loud, flirt with her, you dipshit! What, you WANT her to be taken in by that scumbag Fisadi?_

"So, uh," Banzai closed the distance a little, still grinning, "What's my prize?" he asked in that special tone of voice. Not much, but it was the best he could think of on the spur of the moment.

Shenzi's grin froze on her face, and she looked stunned with a growing realisation. To Banzai's surprise and delight, she blushed. Then she turned and hurried away, back to the den with her mother.

Banzai sat and watched her rush off until he could no longer see her. He grinned contentedly to himself, only half-listening to Ed's incoherent jabbering behind him. Why had he put it off for so long? They were great friends. Even though he'd lost a lot of reputation, hanging around with Shenzi was helping a little. And as well as being sexy as all hell, Shenzi wasn't shallow either. He did stand a chance after all. Maybe. Sure he'd have to compete with every other male in the pack, except perhaps Ed, but when had he been scared of a good fight?

Oh well, it was starting to get dark. Time to make his way back to the den.

It was then that a weight hit him hard from the side, pinning him down.

* * *

"Hey mom," Shenzi told Kiruu as she walked into the Den, "I had something I needed to ask you-"

"I'm glad you're here Shenzi," Kiruu interrupted, chewing on a bone, "I had something to mention too."

"Okay, you go ahead," Shenzi said finally.

"Well," Kiruu tossed the bone aside for later, "You're a big girl now," she looked up at her strong, pretty daughter, "I think it's definitely time you moved out of this little den. We can't put it off any longer."

"Yeah, I thought-WHAT?!" Shenzi stopped mid-sentence.

"You're not a little cub any more, Shenzi," Kiruu repeated, "If you're going to be the one to run the pack you need to be capable of living on your own, and not with a coddling mother," she stepped forward and nuzzled her daughter's cheek fondly, "I know it will be difficult at first, but I'll always be here, even when you can't see me."

"Thanks, mom," Shenzi sighed.

"Now, did you have something important to ask me?" Kiruu asked.

"Well, uh, yeah," Shenzi admitted, "It's... kind of a big girl thing too. See, there are these two males I like... How did you choose your first mate? Or why, or whatever..."

"Oh yes, you mean Abasi..." Kiruu started to gnaw on the bone again; a sure sign of discomfort, "Don't worry about him..."

"Well, it's more like I was looking for some tips," Shenzi pointed out, "You gave me some a few months ago but I didn't really get them and I'd like-"

"Oh, very well," Kiruu nodded, "Sit down, dear," Shenzi sat down, "Now... what exactly seems to be troubling you?"

"Well, sooner or later when I move out, I'm gonna have to pick a mate..." her mother nodded and encouraged, she continued, "But what if I'm like, stuck between more than one guy? What if I feel like more than one guy should be my regular mate?"

That had her mother at a loss, "Oh well, I think you're old enough..." she mumbled, "Let me tell you something my mother told me when she was getting older..." she gathered her daughter close to her. Shenzi had grown to be as big as her mother, and stronger than she had been at her prime. And Shenzi hadn't even hit her prime yet, "Follow me."

The two of them trotted out of the steam vents and bones and rocks of the Graveyard, to find a place much higher up that had a better view. From here they could see the best parts of the Graveyard – which wasn't saying much – and the Pride Lands, and they had a great view of the stars too.

"Shenzi baby, look at the stars," Kiruu told her daughter, "Do you know what Lions say they are? They say they're dead lions watching over the lions below."

"I suppose you're gonna say they're hyenas," Shenzi said dryly. She scratched at herself.

"My mother looked at it this way," Kiruu told her, "See, if the world down here is big enough to provide for hyenas and lions, then there's room up there for hyenas and lions too. But the lions think there's only room up there for lions, and that's why they don't want us on their land... asswads..."

Shenzi stopped in her derision. That kinda made sense.

"They're matriarchs who have supported their packs through good times and bad," Kiruu said, "And I suppose the lions have their own definition of how to get up there too. This has been a hard time for us – we hunt just as well as lions, but they've driven us out of their lands and now we're reduced to scavenging and poaching. I can only hope that I've supported my pack well enough to rise to those stars when my life ends... where I will always be watching over you."

Shenzi liked the story, but... "What does this have to do with picking a mate?" she asked her mother, irritated.

"Well, if you really can't pick between two males you care about," her mother told her, "You should let your final judgement be swayed by who will be the best for your pack. A male who is strong and healthy, capable of breeding strong cubs."

"What if they're equal about that?" Shenzi asked.

"Then you go for loyalty," said Kiruu, "Not merely one who is loyal to you, but also loyal to the pack. A strong, loyal mate will breed strong, loyal cubs, and that will in turn make the pack stronger. When you are matriarch, it's not just about you. It's about what's best for your people. That's what will make you a great matriarch. That's what will see you by my side when your time comes."

She nuzzled her daughter's cheek affectionately, and Shenzi giggled, "Well I'm gonna make sure we get back in the Pride Lands," she said firmly, "I'm gonna be the best matriarch ever!"

"Oh, I bet you will!" Kiruu laughed, and mother and daughter began a friendly tussle.

* * *

"Fisadi gets Shenzi! Do I make myself CLEAR?!" On the word 'clear', Chukizi stepped on Banzai's neck. The younger hyena swore he heard his neck creak, "DO I, MONGREL?!" he barked.

Banzai looked towards his brother. Ed had been firmly trounced by Chukizi – and though his injuries were not dangerous, they were definitely bad enough to confuse him about what was going on, and _he_ wasn't going to be much help, what with the way he was licking his injuries, and laughing as if being in pain was a huge joke, "'s..." Banzai gurgled on his back.

"She may pity you enough to train you and that retarded lunatic over there, but that is all she will ever feel for you... PITY!" Chukizi snarled, "Leave the Graveyard. Run away and never come back. EVER! Get it?"

Banzai didn't get it. Why did an old male like Chukizi care about some young male like Fisadi? There was probably a really obvious answer to that, but even though Banzai wasn't stupid, he'd never been one to push the boundaries of his intellect, and it was even harder to do so while being throttled.

"'s..." he gurgled anyway.

"And if you ever come back..." Chukizi bent very close to his ear, "I'll kill you."

He stood back, growling and showing a lot of teeth. Ed whined and nudged Banzai with a paw, uncertain of what to do, "You want me to leave?" he asked.

"Yes," Chukizi told him sharply.

"So Fisadi can keep on flirting with Shenzi and get her?" Banzai checked.

"Leave! Now!" Chukizi repeated, "Beat it!"

Banzai started to growl himself. He wasn't a cub anymore. He'd trained with Shenzi, and survived without parents for much longer than most young hyenas did. It was bad enough that the females got to push the males around but to have an old guy like Chukizi pulling it... well, that wasn't something he would put up with.

He growled and jumped. Now he was getting big and strong himself and he was gonna pound this jerk until he got the idea that Banzai was not going to put up with that kind of shit any more.

The fight was shorter than he'd expected – perhaps Chukizi was older than he'd thought. And he had been taken by surprise. But soon enough Chukizi was on HIS back, "You can tell your buddy Fisadi that if he wants to fight for Shenzi, I'll be right there for him to fight with," he snarled, "And what's more, I'm gonna win."

He jumped off Chukizi and did his best to swagger away, with Ed following closely behind. Ed started to laugh. For once, Banzai joined in. Their cackling laughter followed them all the way back to their den, mingling with that of other hyenas around the graveyard. But once they were there, something occurred to Banzai.

He'd just told that creepazoid Chukizi to his face that he was gonna fight for Shenzi. It was a definite confidence booster. Oh, he could just back out but then he'd look totally gutless. Besides, if he could take on the larger Chukizi, he could take on Fisadi.

Oh well, he'd worry more about it when it became actually IMPORTANT. For now, it was probably better to keep training. He grabbed one of the bones on the floor and started chewing on it thoughtfully. There had to be a better way to get girls than fighting every other prospective mate in the pack...

* * *

Breech: Yay! Hyenas believe in that stars crap too!


	6. Her Mom Ate Your Dad

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: This chapter is loosely based on the line in "Chow Down" where Shenzi says, "Now wasn't it her mom, ate your dad?" Just dealing with the actual events there. Ah, another reason Shenzi and Banzai are not related. Nala's mom would be Sarafina.

* * *

Chapter Six: Her Mom Ate Your Dad

Another day, another hunt. Shenzi remembered what her mother had told her about lions and how they thought the heavens were only big enough for lions. Typical lions. She looked up. Ed was deliberately prowling in full view of the herd of zebra. It made them uneasy, and several of them were splitting up. Beside her, Kiruu was waiting so that she could show Shenzi a new trick for breaking necks, and Shenzi would practice it by teaching it to other hyenas.

Shenzi fully intended to make her mother proud. She wasn't sure of what, exactly, but she was going to, and that was one thing she was sure of. Proud of her ability to bring down herd animals? No, she was already proud of that. But something, definitely.

With one final snap, Ed scattered the herd into a panic. Shenzi, Kiruu, Banzai, and Mosi lunged forward to keep their target from diving back into the safety of the stripes.

Banzai felt awkward hunting with his father again, but Kiruu had persuaded him that it would be a great opportunity to show his father how much stronger he and Ed were than had previously been thought.

* * *

"Madams!" a gopher popped up near Zira and Sarafina, "News from the underground! There are hyenas poaching in the Pride Lands again! They are causing panic among the largest zebra herd!"

Zira and Sarafina looked at each other, "We're heading there right now," Sarafina told him, before they headed for the disturbance.

* * *

"You know," Banzai managed as he ripped apart fresh zebra, "It's worth braving lions to get this kinda meat," he looked at Mosi, "I told you we could do it!" he pointed out, "Where's our apology, dad?"

Beside them, Ed giggled at the older hyena and continued to wolf down the meat.

"I don't see why I should apologise," Mosi grumbled, his mouth full of raw meat, "He still has a demon in his head, and he's still an idiot."

Before Banzai could get into a fight with his own father, Kiruu interrupted, "Ed is not stupid. He's just... special."

"Yeah, Ed's _special_," Shenzi couldn't help but snigger at that, and got a cuff around the ear from Kiruu for it, "What?"

"Ed has his purpose," Kiruu told Mosi, with her mouth full, "His place in the pack. A little less obvious than my Shenzi, but he has it. Now stop complaining; he helped us catch this meat, didn't he?" she told Mosi, swallowing as they continued to eat.

"Meat which doesn't belong to you," a smooth voice told them.

"Course it does, Shenzi. We caught it, didn't we?" Banzai said.

"I didn't say anything," Shenzi pointed out.

The quintet looked up at two lionesses and collectively cowered. The larger one with the crazed red eyes smirked wickedly.

"Back away back away!" Shenzi shrieked at the others, remembering her last encounter with lions. Ed had wound up seriously messed up in the head and she didn't want a repeat performance with family, friends or family of friends.

Banzai growled, "You lions are always throwing your weight around!" he snapped at the smaller lioness, "Your king destroyed my brother's mind! Drove him insane!"

Sarafina looked at him coolly, "He wouldn't do such a thing unless he had good reason," she replied, "Besides, you hyenas... you're all crazy anyway."

"So watch your mouth, mongrel," Zira sneered cruelly at them, "Or you'll get the same treatment."

Banzai snarled, so angry that he was shaking with the attempt to contain his rage. But his father was less successful. Lions had driven the hyenas to become scavengers and poachers. Lions constantly stole their kills. Lions had destroyed his son Ed's mind. Lions had divided his family. And now lions were threatening to destroy Banzai's mind too. And that would leave Ed with no support, and Banzai incapable of surviving, and both of his sons would inevitably die...

Red clouded his vision, "You'll regret those words!" Mosi screamed with rage, and leapt at Zira, sinking his teeth into her right ear deeply, until his teeth met. Both lionesses roared, and Sarafina leapt forward, her canine teeth sinking into Mosi's shoulder and pulling him away from Zira. With his teeth sunk so deeply in her ear, a chunk of it was ripped right out, but it was nothing to the massive tears in the male hyena's shoulder.

Sarafina threw Mosi to the ground roughly as Zira roared in pain, and before he could get up or the other hyenas could engineer a coordinated attack, tore her claws into his belly. The most horrible thing about it all was that Mosi was still technically alive and screaming in agony as she did so.

For one brief moment, the voices laughing in Ed's head were stunned into silence, and thusly so was he. But Banzai gave his own scream of shock. He would have leapt at Sarafina too – an action which would have brought his own death – if Shenzi hadn't tackled him to the ground first.

"Dad!" Banzai howled. He snarled at Sarafina, "I'm gonna rip everything you ever cared about to shreds, witch!" he snarled at her, struggling under Shenzi more fiercely than he had ever done before.

But before he could attempt to carry out his threat, Kiruu bent over him, "Run, boy!" she ordered him. The quartet had little choice but to flee, bellies only half-filled, and one of their number left behind, in a state where death would come as a mercy.

Zira gripped her bleeding ear with a paw, "Idiot hyenas..." she managed.

Sarafina looked down at the hyena, who was still kicking slightly, and sank her teeth into his hunched neck, snapping it and ending his pain, "They'll want revenge for that," she said uncertainly, "I shouldn't have-"

"Forget about those fools," Zira grumbled, "I could have lost my ear!"

"But the hyenas have been pushing deeper into the Pride Lands, Zira!" Sarafina protested, "Suppose the ugly one comes after our cubs?"

"Which ugly one?" Zira asked, "They're all ugly." Still, the point was well made; hyenas had been known to carry out revenge killings. Speaking of which... "And you haven't had any cubs yet."

Sarafina sighed, "I know," she agreed reluctantly, looking at her feet.

* * *

"First my brother... and now my DAD!" Banzai screamed, "Man, I HATE LIONS!"

Shenzi was coming to hate them that much too. Hyenas and lions had never gotten along but now that those ugly bastards were hurting one of her friends so badly, it was really, really digging in, "Banzai," she said softly, and nuzzled his cheek, "I'm sorry."

Banzai growled a little longer, but slumped, "I know he thought that Ed was useless and that I'm stupid for giving a shit, but he's still my dad! Or at least... he was..."

Shenzi hung her head, "Banzai, I..." she nuzzled his cheek again. This time he returned it.

"Why's it hafta be that lousy shit has to happen to me to get close to you?" Banzai asked her.

"Huh?" Shenzi asked, confused.

"Nothing," Banzai told her quickly. How come she only got close to him when she pitied him? He pulled away and trotted out of the Graveyard alone. Shenzi watched him leave.

"Shame about his family," a smooth voice commented behind her, "You must feel terrible."

Shenzi looked at Fisadi, "You again?" she asked.

Fisadi chuckled, "Me again," he tried to grin seductively at Shenzi but it only came out as a leer, "Now I know you feel like it's all your fault," he moved closer to her, "But it's not. Here, let me..."

Shenzi sidled away, "I know that it's not my fault," she said calmly, "Why do you care?"

"All sorts of reasons," Fisadi grinned, "Do I love you because you're so beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?"

Shenzi flushed deeply.

* * *

Rafiki watched the male hyena at the waterhole. It was true that hyenas could be mean. And they were ugly and smelly too. And they had a really, _really_ terrible sense of humour. But they thought the same thing of lions. Carnivores were inevitably in competition with each other for territory and food. That was part of the Circle of Life. But then King Ahadi had exiled them, which had further soured relationships between lions and hyenas.

He recognised this solitary young hyena male as one of the four who had attacked him months ago. Not that this solitary hyena looked like trouble. He just looked miserable. But he also looked very angry. He wouldn't stop muttering about how much he hated lions. That couldn't be good for him OR lions.

Banzai slumped at the waterhole. Normally he'd only come to the Pride Lands to poach but right now he just wanted to get away from everything. The few animals at the waterhole avoided him, but sensed he wasn't on the hunt.

He continued to mutter to himself in depression, until a pebble splashed in the water, breaking his concentration. He looked up sharply to see an old mandrill in a tree – too high to jump at and get rid of, carrying an old stick. He looked a little familiar...

"Why so solemn?" the monkey asked, "Aren't hyenas full of jokes and laughter?"

"Oh, sure, put us all into a neat little bracket," Banzai sneered, but showed little interest in attacking, "My brother's totally lost his mind and my dad just got killed by a couple of lionesses and the female I love doesn't love me back. She only feels sorry for me. I don't want her to feel sorry for me!" he snapped, "I want her to... to..." he groaned, "I don't know what I want," he said finally, "But I think I've got a right to be miserable."

"I think perhaps you want upendi," Rafiki said.

"What- love?" Banzai's confusion was a real sight, "How can she love me? We're just friends... if that. That's all we've ever been, since we were cubs. Why's it changing now? What's the difference?"

Rafiki studied the maturing young male, and laughed, "Infantile love says, 'I love you because I need you'. Mature love says, 'I need you because I love you'. That is the difference."

"What are you; a fortune cookie?" Banzai scowled, "It's not fair," he muttered, staring at his reflection again, "How come she only pays attention to me when she feels sorry for me?"

"But if she pays attention to you at all, isn't that a good thing?" the old baboon asked, descending to the ground carefully.

"No!" Banzai told him, still looking at his reflection, "Because, one, it means there's something lousy that's happened so she feels sorry for me. And, uh..."

"Two?" Rafiki suggested,

"Yeah, two! Two, I don't need nobody's stinking pity!" Banzai snapped, turning away to leave the waterhole.

Suddenly, he received a wallop across the head.

"OW! What the hell was that for?" he asked, rubbing the sore spot, "You stupid monkey! You'd better have an apology ready, or so help me I'll-"

"But old Rafiki thought you hated pity!" the mandrill said, feigning surprise, "Well, I know where you can get all the pity you want," Rafiki beckoned him with his stick, closer to the waterhole. Curious now, Banzai followed him, "Down there..." he whispered, pointing.

Banzai looked into the water at his own reflection, "What are you talking about, monkey? That's just my reflection," he complained, before splashing the water angrily.

"But he was certainly pitying you plenty a few hours ago!" Rafiki pointed out.

"I hate pity," Banzai grumbled. But he looked into the water again, which was settling once more, "So if I hate pity..." he said, working it out slowly, his lips moving as he thought, "Then that means I hate myself..."

Rafiki made motions with his stick for Banzai to continue his train of thought, "And?" he prompted.

"And if I don't like me," Banzai's brain clicked along slowly, "Then why should anybody else like me?"

"Well done!" Rafiki told the hyena, "So what are you going to do now?"

"Well..." Banzai gave this some thought, "Well for one thing, I'm not gonna feel sorry for myself!" he snapped at Rafiki, "If I feel bad... I'm gonna do something about it!"

"Anything else?" Rafiki asked him. He swiped another blow at Banzai's head, but this time the hyena ducked it.

"Yeah," Banzai grinned, "I'm not gonna let you make me feel sorry for myself again either!" he turned and trotted away from the waterhole quickly, heading back to the Graveyard.

Rafiki watched the hyena run back home, smiling a little. Surely even hyenas and lions could live in relative peace, right? All they needed was a little prompting.

He was so pleased with himself for calming the hyena without the need for violence, that he didn't really notice the dark lion with the scarred face watching from the other side of the waterhole. And even if he had, he would never have imagined what thoughts were going through that lion's mind.

* * *

Breech: I know another reason Shenzi and Banzai are not brother and sister. There was once a comic called "The Lion King: A Nature Fun And Learn Series" which ran for 80 issues. It was approved by Disney, so it was canon. In issue 49, on the Puzzles page Zazu distracts the hyenas from eating him by setting them puzzles. One of these puzzles is to work out the ages of the hyenas. Banzai and Ed are 1 year older than Shenzi.


	7. That's All I Need

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: Okay, so this chapter has the lyrics to a canon song in it, but don't worry; the hyenas don't sing much so it won't happen again... oh, okay it might. But this is still not a songfic! This just happens to be that chapter with Timon's sentry scene in it.

Anyway, technically hyenas have cubs, not pups. Being the anal type, I corrected the chapters that had that mistake in them, and replaced them.

* * *

Chapter Seven: That's All I Need

"Do I love you because you're beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?" Fisadi asked Shenzi.

She flushed deeply.

"Shenzi," Fisadi continued, "You are so lovely..."

Shenzi squirmed. Fisadi had become very strong and clever during their maturation, but as much as she was attracted to him, she was equally attracted to Banzai – although not in the same ways.

Banzai was there all the time, not just when he wanted to flirt with her or when he was on a hunt. He didn't make her feel vulnerable. Fisadi often said that she was more beautiful when she was vulnerable, but she couldn't afford to be that. Not if she was going to lead the pack. What was with that? Banzai was only her friend. His attempts at flirting were few and far between. Fisadi was the one who was acting the suitor. But she still preferred Banzai's friendship to Fisadi's advances.

"Fisadi, quit it," she said finally, "Don't take this as a rejection, but my feelings really are a mess right now. Banzai's father's just been killed by lions and-"

"Don't talk about him," Fisadi tried to smile seductively, but it came out as a leer, "He's not here... it's just you... and me..." he oozed, leaning in closer and starting to nuzzle at her chest, "He doesn't matter..."

"Stop that," Shenzi scowled, moving away slightly, "He does matter, whether he's here or not," she told Fisadi, "He's my friend..." She was getting annoyed that he was suddenly being so insensitive. He'd always seemed so nice before...

"We're both adults," Fisadi moved in to nuzzle her chest again, "I'm strong and healthy, you are strong, healthy and beautiful... and we're both high-ranking adults. We're a perfect couple, you and I," he pounced, pinning her lightly, leering shamelessly, "You're simply _precious_ when you try to deny the obvious."

Shenzi's jaw dropped at the condescending, insensitive, dominating attitude of the male. She couldn't name the anger rising up; it was unlike any she'd ever felt, "Get. Off. Me," she commanded him.

"Forget Banzai. He's a total loser. Forget everything. Tonight, it's just us..." Fisadi gave her cheek a slow lick, "Come on, quit being so uptight- OW!"

Shenzi had bitten him on the ear sharply, and hit him off her hard, "If you touch me like that without my explicit permission, EVER again..." she snarled straight in his face, "I'll _kill_ you. Got that?"

Then she ran off. Fisadi was far too busy nursing his bitten ear to watch her leave.

_

* * *

_

_What a creep!_ Shenzi thought to herself. She really hadn't thought that Fisadi could act like that. She was so deeply engaged at being pissed off at him, that she was surprised when Banzai, accompanied as per usual by Ed, appeared right in front of her.

"You, uh, look kinda down, Shenzi," he said. Ed started to laugh at that, or maybe at something else; you could never be sure now.

"Ah, I feel fine," Shenzi told him, _Who needs males anyway?_ she thought crossly, _They're only good for one thing, and sometimes they can't even manage that!_ "What about you? Your dad died a few hours ago. How're you coping?"

Banzai sagged, hanging his head, "I... hate... lions," he growled, "What I wouldn't give... to be the very last part of _their_ Circle of Life. Why do they have to destroy everything?!"

Shenzi got up and moved to sit next to him. Comforting him made her feel better too, "If you ever want to talk about your feelings to me..." she started.

Banzai looked up at her sharply, right next to him and trying to help, "Guys don't talk about their feelings," he corrected her. Behind him, Ed began to giggle, "If guys talked about their feelings, they'd be gals."

Shenzi laughed at that, "So, what do guys talk about?" she asked him.

"Guy stuff," Banzai said, "Like, I dunno... Meerkat volleyball. Meerkat soccer. Meerkat tennis. Meerkat baseball. Meerkat pool. Hockey. With meerkats. Messin' with those bite-size snacks is real fun, huh?" he asked Ed, who nodded his head so hard something rattled, before bursting back into peals of laughter.

Shenzi knew Banzai was trying to distract both of them from their problems. It seemed to be working pretty well, "Yeah, even if you don't catch nothin' it's fun," she agreed.

"Come on, Shenzi," Banzai grinned at her, "There's nothing to take your mind off your problems like giving somebody else a taste of them," he laughed.

"Or getting a taste of somebody else," Shenzi joined in the laughter, "Okay, maybe you could show me and Ed a good time with meerkat bowling. Just the three of us."

The three of them headed for the meerkat colony due south. At this time of day, most lions were taking a nap, and the herds sensed they were not on the hunt – at least not for them – so it was pretty much a walk in the safari park.

From behind a rock, Shenzi watched as a new sentry was being put on duty. Swapping out the old, practiced sentry in the middle of his nervous breakdown, for a new, inexperienced guy. Awesome.

"You know what the best thing about meerkats is?" Shenzi asked Banzai.

"They're a movable feast?" Banzai suggested.

"Apart from that," Shenzi told him, "They're so... jumpy. I mean, look at that guy," she gestured to the older meerkat, who was busy instructing the kid, "So totally jumpy, they don't even see you. I mean, if that guy wasn't panicking about his kid, he'd be paying more attention to panicking about us."

"Even _all_ bloodthirsty hyenas are waiting to rip us limb from limb!" the old one was ranting furiously.

"Bra-_vo_, Uncle Max. Way to sell it to the cheap seats," the kid said dryly, clapping sarcastically.

Max glared disapprovingly at him, "Applaud now, sonny boy," he took the kid's wrists, "But try clapping when you don't have any hands..." He left, so irritated that he didn't even flinch, scurry and sniff his way away. If he had, he might have noticed them.

The younger one shrugged. He looked bored already. After a few moments he started muttering to himself, "Scurry, sniff, flinch. Scurry, sniff, flinch. Huh... I like the sound of that. Scurry, sniff, flinch. Scurry, sniff, flinch. Scurry, sniff, flinch. Scurry, sniff, flinch!"

Shenzi looked at Banzai as the meerkat started to dance, "You kidding me? They picked _this_ kid for sentry duty?"

The three of them popped up briefly from behind a rock, with Ed giggling softly. The kid was actually _breaking into song_. Ed was about to jump when Shenzi grabbed him by his snout, holding it shut and holding him in place, "No. This kid is way too good to interrupt..." she grinned, "Yet."

"_There's more to life than panic,  
And bein' some other guy's snack— yuck! _

_I may be delicious, organic,  
But this little entree's fightin' back!_

_  
I'm gonna put diggin' tunnels behind me,  
And live at a new altitude,  
I'm gonna reach for the stars to remind me,  
That meerkats are not merely food!  
For once I'll be... _

_Lookin' out for me... yeah!_

_  
I'll tell you what I want,  
This cat is movin' on,  
He's a __bon vivant,__  
Who's missin' out on __bon,__  
_

_I'd be a bigger cheese,  
Far from the desert scene,  
A little cooling breeze,  
A little patch of green!_

_  
And I'll be snoozin' in my hammock by a rippling stream,  
Many miles from any tunnel and the digging team,  
Looking after number one will be my only creed,  
That's all I need!  
That's all I need!  
_

_I've always been good at runnin' away,  
Well, now I'm gonna run the show-ow,  
I've always been seen as the ultimate prey,  
But now my status ain't so quo!"_

Ed was gurgling frantically as the meerkat continued singing. Shenzi removed the paw blocking him from running straight at him, and the three of them slunk forward and surrounded the rock. The meerkat was lodged in his fantasy so firmly he didn't notice them at all.

"A dream sublime... It's hyena ti-ime... oh!" the meerkat finally realised that he was surrounded, and totally froze up in terror.

Shenzi started clapping slowly, a huge grin on her face, and joined in with her own line, "Well whaddaya know-ow... it's dinner and a show-ow..." she laughed.

"And I thought beans were the only musical food!" Banzai grinned at the kid.

Ed laughed along with them, though whether at the performance, Banzai's bad jokes, or at a bug flying past was impossible to say.

The kid was trying to shout for help, but was too frozen up for even that, "Hy- hy- hy-" he stammered.

"Well _hi_ to you too!" Shenzi grinned. Then she gave him a smack with her paw that sent him rolling back down a small hump of dirt and colliding with another meerkat.

"Ster-rike!" Banzai declared as they followed. They watched as the entire colony, upon seeing them, broke into absolute panic and ran. It was worth it just to watch that, "Woah, look at 'em scramble."

"And that's just how I like 'em," Shenzi declared, "Scrambled," numerous meerkats collided with her in their panic, and she licked the foremost of them, "And a little bit... runny."

The meerkats were still panicking, and Banzai started whacking them about gleefully, "It's like whack-a-mole with meerkats!" he yelled.

Ed laughed madly as he joined in the fun.

Unexpectedly, Shenzi abruptly found herself nose to nose with the sentry, who was still frozen in terror, "Hy-hy-hy..." he stammered.

_Ex-sentry,_ Shenzi thought to herself. They wouldn't be giving him that job again in a hurry. It'd be hard to look out for hyenas from the center of her digestive system anyway.

"Well _hi_ again," she grinned at the kid, "We haven't been introduced properly yet. My name's Shenzi Marie Predatora Jackalina Hyena. What's yours?"

"Uh, uh, Timon!" he stammered out, "Please don't eat me!"

Just before she could snap him up, a hand grabbed from one of the holes and dragged him in. She returned her attention to the other meerkats, who were diving down holes. Ed was frantically blocking the holes with his paws but the meerkats were faster. By the time all the holes he could reach were blocked, only one meerkat was left; the aged one who had been nagging at the ex-sentry.

As one, they chased after him, snapping at his tail.

"Scurry, scurry, scurry," he panted, "Scurry, scurry, sniff, FLINCH!" he shouted, as if following some inbred rote.

He shouldn't have flinched. Banzai snapped sharply at his tail, almost biting it off. Then the meerkat fell down his bolt-hole.

They peered down the hole briefly, but forgot about it and started whooping with laughter as they trotted away.

"Oh man!" Banzai said between laughs, licking the blood off his muzzle, "It just never gets old, does it?"

Shenzi laughed along with him, as the sun began to set, "Ooh, the classics never do, honey!"

Ed gave a gurgling laugh and glanced at Banzai, who thought, _She called me honey! Yeah!_ He managed to rearrange these thoughts into slightly more suitable words, "So, you're feeling better now?" he asked her hopefully.

"Yeah, thanks Banzai," Shenzi told him gratefully, "I feel like I could face a guy without, you know, spitting in his face or something."

_Promising_, Banzai thought. But before he got a chance to speak, Shenzi interrupted.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Better," he said, "I mean, my dad... yeah... but he and Nuha chucked me and Ed out... I mean, I'm still pissed... I'm still gonna waste a lion for it, but-"

"But not right now," a voice interrupted.

The three of them were suddenly bowled over by a darkly coloured lion with a scar over one eye. Now it was the turn of the hyenas to panic. The three of them tried to fight him off, but there weren't enough of them, and within a minute they were all pinned beneath his paws.

"POACHERS!" the lion roared.

"LION!" Shenzi screamed, terrified. She had cut her hind leg on a rock when trying to fight off the lion and it was bleeding, but that was the least of her worries right now.

"Don't kill me!" Banzai begged, "Uncle! There, I said it! Uncle!"

"Yes..." the dark lion mused, looking down at the three cowering hyenas, "That's part of the problem. I have very recently become an uncle."

"Congratulations!" Banzai grinned frantically, "I'm happy for you, truly!" he received a light blow to the nose, "Ow! Don't kill us, please!"

"Quiet," the lion told them. He continued to pin them, knowing that if he let up right now, they'd make a run for it, "I have a proposal for the three of you. Totally optional, of course..." he leant very, very close, looking down at them nastily.

"Er... I'm listening; what's the proposal?" Shenzi asked nervously.

"I," the dark lion drew himself up regally, while still pinning down the squirming hyenas, "Am Prince Taka, brother of King Mufasa... although many now call me Scar." They didn't bother to ask why. Even in the rising moonlight the scar over his left eye was visible.

"Great to finally meetcha, sir," Banzai grinned nervously.

"And the cub born to Mufasa and Sarabi is a male cub," Scar informed them, "They went without cubs for some time, and I had hoped that it would merely be another female, but it did not turn out so fortunately. Do you know what that means?"

"Yes! Absolutely! More lions? That's awesome!" Shenzi told him desperately. Next to her, Ed laughed even as he cowered.

"Actually, I think you don't think it's 'awesome'," Scar informed them, "But that's all right, because neither do I."

"You don't?" Banzai and Ed looked at each other, confused.

"No, I don't," Scar continued. He looked down at the three hyenas, disgusted by them, their ugly appearance, their stupidity, their appalling smell, "With a male to succeed Mufasa, well... I shall not be king. So... at some point in the near future, I am going to ask for your help... scouting, information, perhaps a little regicide."

"Reggie-who?" Shenzi asked.

Scar didn't seem to notice, "And you will agree. Won't you?"

"Yes! Yes!" Banzai yelped, with Ed nodding so hard that something rattled again.

"Wait, wait," Shenzi interrupted them, "What's in it for us if we do help you out?"

Scar sighed, "Well, if we were to help each other out on occasion, we'd be friends. I'd never let my friends go hungry, or chase them out of the Pride Lands. On the other paw, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

Shenzi knew now wasn't exactly a stellar time to negotiate deals. If she'd been alone, she might have tried to make a break for it. But Banzai and Ed were scared; she didn't like to admit it, but they were as scared as she was. And she didn't want to risk them any more than she had done before.

"Okay, it's a deal," she said finally, "But you gotta let us live!"

"I'll escort the three of you back to the Graveyard," Scar told them, stepping off them slowly, "It would be _terrible _if my new allies were to be attacked on their way back because somebody were to have informed Mufasa they were poaching in the Pride Lands, don't you think?"

* * *

Breech: I'm starting to think of this as "The Lion King 4: Be Prepared". You know how TLK 3 was Timon and Pumbaa's view on the story, and this is the hyena's view. But actually calling it TLK4 sounds a little... well, over-confident, you know? Anyway, Review please.


	8. Ice Queen

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: Wot? Only two reviews for chapter seven Do you have any idea how much effort I put into copying and pasting those lyrics from an online script of TLK 1 ½? I expect at least a million reviews for that sort of effort!

Anyway, I decided several things from 1 ½ - first, Timon abandons the colony just before Simba's presentation ("Who cares? It's not important.") which is right after attack by hyena, and second, that Scar obviously dislikes the hyenas and wouldn't use them unless he had good reason. I guess he should have said 'male cub', not 'lion cub'. So I edited it.

* * *

Chapter Eight: Ice Queen

After Scar had escorted Shenzi, Banzai and Ed back to the Elephant Graveyard, he had departed with very little ceremony, simply telling them that they would see him again.

"Brrrr! That lion was creepy!" Banzai declared.

Shenzi thought so too. Banzai was no coward, but she didn't have the liberty to admit fear of any kind. Even of lions, "Well, he let us off the hook, and he let us go," she said, "Hey, he probably just wanted to spook us. Lions are too big-headed to ask for our help. We'll probably never see him again," she started to limp away.

Ed nodded at that statement happily, but Banzai noticed the limp, "Hey, did he hurt you?" he asked Shenzi, "Your leg looks kinda painful..."

"Nah, he never got a hit in," Shenzi said, "I just knocked it on a rock when we got pinned. I'm fine, really."_ Damn! He noticed! Wait, why does it hurt less when he notices? When he... cares?_

"It... still looks kinda painful," Banzai pointed out again, "Maybe you should take a rest?" he flushed as he spoke the next words, "My den is closer than yours... so maybe you could make a stop there? Ed will be there too," he glanced at his brother, "So we wouldn't be alone together."

Ed looked sideways at the two of them, and started to giggle. Banzai threw a glare in his direction.

Shenzi flushed herself, just listening to the offer, "Well... maybe just for a little while," she conceded, "But not for too long. I gotta get back to my den to get round to all the moving out stuff..."

It wasn't that long before they arrived at Banzai and Ed's den. Ed continued to giggle to himself as he picked up a bone and started to gnaw the last few scraps of meat off a zebra's thigh-bone, while Shenzi all but collapsed to the floor of the den, grateful to be able to take the weight off her leg for a little while. It had stopped bleeding, but it still hurt.

"So, uh... Like you said, you're moving out of your mom's den real soon?" Banzai asked, prowling around the den nervously. He didn't look at Shenzi, because he knew if he did look at the beautiful hyena lying in the middle of his den, he'd start drooling the way Ed was right now. The main difference would be that he would be drooling at Shenzi, while Ed was drooling because his brain had slipped back into neutral and he was probably watching some sort of puppet show in his head.

"Yeah, I guess so," Shenzi confirmed, "I'm too big to keep on living there, so now I've gotta move out and find myself a bachelorette den of my own. Then I get a mate, have a litter of cubs, watch my mom die, make sure I take over as matriarch, run the pack, die, and so on and so forth..." she sighed, "Mom's sick."

"She is?" Banzai asked, "I didn't know."

"Well of course not," Shenzi told him, "She's dying. She must have known for ages, but she only told me a day or so ago."

"So then you'll be taking charge?" Banzai asked her.

"Yup," Shenzi nodded, and then scowled, "I suppose you're just like Fisadi, and every other male in the pack besides, hitting on me because I'm gonna be in charge."

"It's nothing like that, Shenzi," Banzai insisted, "We're friends. We really are. We'd be friends if the situations were reversed and you were a nobody and I was the Alpha Male. I guess it's just that me and Ed got kicked out so early," Banzai muttered, before looking up at Shenzi, "And your leg still looks kinda sore," he added.

Shenzi rolled her eyes. Why did Banzai keep on drawing attention to it? "I'll live," she told him.

"I could, uh..." Banzai swallowed nervously before moving in a little closer to Shenzi, and sitting down in front of her, "I could try to help it a bit. If you don't mind."

Shenzi raised an eyebrow, "So what did you have in mind?" she asked him finally.

Banzai shrugged, figuring that the easiest way to tell her would be to show her. So he got up and sat next to her, on the side her leg was hurt. Then he prepared himself for one hell of an ass-kicking, and gave her injured leg a lick, just once, slowly, before sitting back up and waiting for a reaction.

There was a long, spectacularly awkward silence. But to Banzai's immense relief and surprise, Shenzi didn't get angry about it, but nodded very slightly. So he gave her leg another lick, cleaning the dust and blood off the cut, smoothing the torn skin back into place so that it would heal without leaving a scar. The lack of repercussions continued, so he continued too, and she continued to let him continue.

After almost an hour, he had finished cleaning and soothing her hurt leg, and looked back up at her hopefully.

She smiled at him gratefully, "Thanks, Banzai," she said, "That was... sweet."

"Damn," he joked, "I don't want to be sweet."

Shenzi grinned at that, "Well it doesn't matter, because it was sweet just the same," she told him, and nuzzled his cheek briefly. Behind them, Ed started to laugh, but Shenzi just put her chin on her paws and stared out of the entrance of the den, watching the sun rising, "You know, for a low-ranker, you sure get an awesome view from this den," she commented.

"Yeah, well... it doesn't seem so awesome when you get woken up at sunrise every morning," Banzai commented, still imagining that he could feel Shenzi's cheek against his, "Still, you get used to it," he paused, "Your leg... it feels better now, right?"

"Yeah, it feels a lot better," Shenzi grinned and settled back down to get a few hours sleep.

"Shenzi?" Banzai asked the sleepy hyena.

"Hmm?"

"We're friends, right?" he checked.

"Mm-hmm..."

Ed looked on, drooling and grinning. But somewhere inside that empty head, was the knowledge that something real interesting was happening between his brother and Shenzi. He giggled to himself a little, then started to scratch at himself.

He'd caught fleas from chasing the meerkats.

* * *

Scar watched the Elephant Graveyard from a safe distance, considering what he would do. Even now, every animal in the Pride Lands was currently making their way to Pride Rock to bow down to their new prince. Damn thing. It occurred to him that if he set off right now, he wouldn't miss it, and wouldn't get into trouble with Mufasa, but right now... to hell with it.

Obviously the little hairball had to be disposed of. The hyenas had an appalling reputation for killing young animals as it was. They'd definitely come in handy for getting rid of him. But the female seemed smarter than the other two jabbering idiots.

Shenzi, princess of the hyena pack. That was her name. She was living proof that not all princesses were beautiful. Or at least, she wasn't beautiful to Scar, who, being narrow-minded and arrogant, had no idea of what hyenas classed as beauty. The time was coming up when she'd be in charge of the entire hyena pack. Almost seventy hyenas strong, and increasing. She would be in charge of it very, very soon.

Scar chuckled to himself. Hyenas had such simple desires. Shenzi was suspicious of his motives, but she was still more interested in food. Besides, she was younger and still more naive than her mother. As for the other hyenas, well, once he'd convinced Shenzi, he wouldn't really _need_ to convince them.

An idea began to form in Scar's mind. He couldn't best his brother in combat, and if he killed Simba he would never be accepted as king, but if he had hyenas to do his dirty work, and covered his tracks, then perhaps he could deal with Mufasa in a manner not requiring face-to-face combat.

The hyenas wouldn't be stupid enough to attack Mufasa for him but they'd be more than happy to rid the world of a lion cub. All he had to do was share a few kills with them, and they'd do anything he said. Hyenas were so simple; they never considered that motives might go deeper than eating meat or having a laugh.

But with Simba disposed of, he could take care of Mufasa, and then... the throne!

He started to laugh wickedly.

* * *

Banzai woke up second. Ed had woken up before him, and was staring at him, with his tongue lolling out.

"Stop that," Banzai told him. He looked at Shenzi with a sigh. Gods but he loved her. But every time he admitted it to himself, it hurt so badly to remember that he couldn't tell her, that he couldn't tell her. Why should she pick him, anyway?

Ed giggled at his brother's miserable expression, and then nodded towards the dozing Shenzi.

"No, Ed," Banzai told him firmly, glaring at his brother, "She wouldn't choose me. And... and I don't care. We're just friends. That's all we are, and that's all we'll ever be."

Ed giggled again, louder.

"_No,_ Ed," Banzai repeated, gritting his teeth as he tried to reign in his ever-volatile temper. He had no idea what Ed meant any more, but he continued, as usual his mouth running away with him, "Now I appreciate your assumption that I think there is an actual sexual being inside Shenzi that I would actually consider giving an old-style humping, but in truth she is nothing more than a humourless ice queen and I would never..."

He stopped. The grin had dropped off Ed's face. He never really looked at anybody now anyway, but now...

Banzai turned around, to see Shenzi now wide awake and looking at him, "Please continue," she gave him a chilly smile, "You were just getting to the good parts."

Banzai winced, "Please, Shenzi," he managed, "You don't understand, I'm a low-ranking loser thrown out of my parent's den because lions turned my brother into a dipshit. And then you come along, and you give me everything I need to get out of this dead end life without me even asking... please, try to understand-"

"Understand what?" Shenzi asked him angrily, standing, "That I'm your ticket back into the high ranks?"

"No, we really are friends, it's just-"

"Let me tell you something, Banzai," Shenzi snapped at him. She didn't get angry very often, but now she felt like she had to be, or she might do something that would make her appear weak, like cry, "The strongest, highest ranking male in the pack is still ranked below the weakest, lowest ranking female. Eggs are expensive. Seed is cheap."

Banzai tried again, "Shenzi, I'm sorry, but please, try to understand-"

"How could I possibly understand?" Shenzi asked bitterly, "I'm nothing more than a humourless ice queen in desperate need of a good old-style humping."

Banzai hung his head, "You heard that part, huh?"

"Loud and clear," Shenzi replied. She pushed her way past him and headed out of the den, before pausing at the entrance, "Don't think you know so much about me, Banzai."

Banzai watched her almost run away, then turned to Ed, "Don't you EVER let me do stupid shit like that ever again!" he shouted at his brother.

Ed just started to grin again.

* * *

Shenzi arrived at a large bull-elephant's skull and climbed up to it. Banzai's hard words, his real opinion of her, cut deep. She lay down, putting her chin on her paws. He was supposed to be her very best friend. And now she could only look back and imagine that with every joke, every touch, he was just using her.

_It's not fair..._ Shenzi felt her eyes fill with tears. At least there was nobody there to see them. So she allowed herself to cry, very quietly, and she went on crying for some time.

Eventually though, she managed to blink them back enough... just enough to look up at the stars. It was somewhat comforting, in a way she couldn't describe. The sun might have set, but there would always be the stars.

Better to think about something that wouldn't hurt, than to think about what Banzai had said.

At least her leg felt better now, thanks to the rest, and Banzai's attention, _Damn, him again!_ Well, it would heal up just fine as long as she didn't put too much strain on it for a day or two. Well, she wouldn't be hunting today. Today was the big day, the day she'd been putting off, because Kiruu had been so sickly lately, and Shenzi had felt obliged to stay and look after her.

But now she had to move out of her mother's den, and find her own. Then she could start making a serious impression on the other females of the clan; specifically the ones she'd have to challenge to become the Matriarch when the time came.

Better than that, she should put them off challenging her at all. She could do that by turning another hyena out of her cave, if she couldn't find a good enough one of her own.

Yeah, she had to be strong. Not just for her sake, but for the sake of them all. After all, she couldn't be the best Matriarch for the pack if she was just gonna burst into tears every time something shitty happened to her.

* * *

Breech: I nearly had it be a happy end to this chapter, but changed my mind at the last minute. Now Shenzi's mad with Banzai! Hurrah for making things interesting and complicated!


	9. Go For The Throat

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: It's been a couple of weeks, I know. Where's all y millions of reviews?! I demanded a million reviews and I hardly got any! Now I have to put them up without millions of reviews telling me how I'm doing or what I might like to do next.

But you force my hand. A lot happens in this chapter.

* * *

Chapter Nine: Go For The Throat

"I'm going to kill him."

Fisadi's jaw dropped, "What?"

"You heard me," Chukizi told his son, "I'm going to find Banzai, talk to him calmly and quietly, and then snap his neck. He's getting too close to Shenzi."

"But he's just a loser!" Fisadi whined.

"Fisadi, let me make this clear," Chukizi growled, "If you don't start going after Shenzi with some FUCKING BALLS, I'm going to kill you and go after her myself. Considering things, I probably should have done that in the first place."

Fisadi rolled his eyes, "Banzai's nothing but a loser with muscle where his brains should be. I could kill him myself, if there was any point. I don't think-"

A solid cuff to the back of the head knocked him down, "If you don't think, you shouldn't talk," Chukizi told him angrily, "Get to Shenzi, work your way in, and win her heart. In the meantime, I will find Banzai and kill him. If you haven't won Shenzi's heart by the time Banzai is dead, I will kill you. One way or another, one of my cubs is going to be an Alpha in this pack, even if I have to have them with Shenzi herself."

Fisadi had a mental image of his father mating with Shenzi. It was not pleasant, "Ew..."

"You're not using the right lines on her," Chukizi told him, "Tell her... tell her crap like her eyes being like amber. Women like that kind of bullshit."

Fisadi didn't see how any of this was even worth it. He didn't even like Shenzi. It was possible that was coming through whenever he flirted with her; he supposed. Sexy, yes, powerful, yes, but man it was tough when your boss was a woman.

Then he considered his father's other threat – to kill him if he couldn't win Shenzi. Now that was what you called an _incentive._

* * *

Banzai stepped out of his den, his head hanging. After Shenzi had left, he had managed to return to a fitful slumber, but it had not refreshed him. Even though Shenzi had spent most of the night with him, it now felt worthless, now that he'd made her so mad with him. And why shouldn't she be? His words had been so cruel...

And so untrue. He loved her, and he was grateful for her friendship and for every moment she spent with him, even if it was only that she was practicing her own lessons. And she knew how to make training great fun. And now he might have lost her friendship forever. He'd said those things to try to convince himself, but the only person he'd convinced was her. Even if he told her that it was all a lie to himself and how much she really meant to him... she'd probably think he was bullshitting to try and get her favour back. And even if she did believe him... well, then she'd know how much he loved her and she'd probably laugh at him.

It was the hugest lose-lose situation he had ever been in.

Was this how Ed felt sometimes? Totally helpless, and lacking any control over his life? No, it was probably best not to assume how Ed felt about anything; it was too creepy to think about what went on behind those vacant eyes. But it was how _he_ felt right now.

Shenzi was even now looking for a new den. She'd be looking for a new mate, soon enough. After what she'd heard him say, Banzai doubted she'd even consider choosing him, even though he was perfectly willing to take on any other suitor to have her.

He'd do anything for her. Pay any price. Take on any task. And yet now he would probably never have her.

Things couldn't possibly get any worse.

At least, that was what he thought, right before he was bowled over by the weight of another male.

It took him only a few seconds to realise that the other male was trying to get a hold on his neck. The two of them instantly began to struggle, with each one trying to get on top of the other. It wasn't long before he realised this was no friendly, or even semi-friendly tussle. Somebody was trying to get a good hold on his neck.

He managed to roll, shaking his attacker off and getting back to his feet.

"Chukizi?"

"I told you to leave, but oh no you have to come back and poke your snout right where it doesn't concern you!" Chukizi growled.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Banzai growled, "I'm not leaving this clan just because some old jerk like you tells me to!"

They jumped at each other's throats. It was hard to tell who had the edge. Chukizi was more experienced and for that matter, bigger. But Banzai was younger, leaving Chukizi lacking that 'second strength' that youth bestowed.

The two males rolled, each one clawing and biting and trying to get a grip on the other's throat. Banzai took several bruising kicks to the ribs, and nearly took a set of claws to the eye, before he managed to bite Chukizi's shoulder savagely.

The older male yelped in rage, and tried to get a hold on Banzai. The fight hadn't been pretty to start with but now it was uglier than ever. Banzai didn't fight with intent to kill the males he tussled with – you couldn't exactly lord it over somebody for losing if they were dead – but he was realising that was what Chukizi intended for him.

Finally he managed to get a good hold on Chukizi's neck.

"Fummit?" he asked through a mouthful of the older male's coarse fur. He didn't dare let go for even a moment. By this time, several younger hyenas had heard the rumpus and had gathered, watching the fight avidly.

There was an angry pause, then Chukizi hung his head, "I submit," he growled. Relieved, Banzai let go of his neck, "NOT!" he snarled, leaping back at Banzai.

"CHEAT! CHEAT! CHEAT!" the watching hyenas barked as Chukizi sank his teeth into Banzai.

_If he rolls, you're dead,_ Banzai thought, He managed to get a hold on Chukizi's shoulder, so that when the male did roll, they rolled together and he didn't lose a huge chunk of his throat. It still hurt like hell though.

A piece of elephant spine broke under them, dropping them both on a continuous roll down a steep slope. Banzai hit several rocks on his way down, and the only mildly ingratiating thought was, from the sound of it, that Chukizi must be hitting just as many.

They landed on a pile of rib bones, with Banzai on top. He fastened his teeth back in Chukizi's neck, "Fummit?" he snarled. There was no answer, "FUMMIT?!" he snarled again, much louder.

There was still no answer. Banzai let go cautiously and nudged him. No movement. He kicked him. There was a sigh, but only because he had kicked the older male's chest. Somewhere in the fall, Chukizi's neck had been snapped, and when they had landed in the bones... Banzai sniffed at him. There was blood bubbling up in his throat. One of the rib-bones they had landed on had pierced his body – and his lung.

The hyenas who had been so fascinated by the fight came racing down the slope.

"You beat 'im!" a male shouted.

"What a creep, pullin' the old 'I surrender' switch," another male agreed.

"Wait a damn minute..." a high-ranking female stepped forward and poked at Chukizi, "He's dead!"

Ed took one look at the body and started to laugh wildly at his brother's victory. Somewhere in his head he knew that Chukizi was dead, and thus wasn't going to get back up, but it no longer had the meaning it had once had.

"But I... didn't mean to..." Banzai looked at the dead male, for once in his life quite speechless.

* * *

"Shenzi, babe," Fisadi slunk up to her. He put on his best charm. He needed to get a positive reaction out of her, or he was a dead male, "Listen, I know I kinda... slunk in on you... surprised you... it's just that..."

Shenzi turned up her nose at Fisadi, then stopped as he dropped a large haunch of wildebeest in front of her.

"I wanted to apologise," Fisadi said apologetically. Shenzi instantly tore into the meat and he watched, trying to conceal the smug look on his face. He needn't have bothered; Shenzi was far too preoccupied with the meat right now.

Eventually she looked up again, "Go on then," she told him, before swallowing a mouthful.

"Yeah, well... I didn't like that you were angry at me," Fisadi worked himself into the lies easily, "I wanted to apologise for... you know... coming on to you like that. It was... disrespectful."

"Yeah, it was," Shenzi agreed shortly.

"I shouldn't have moved so fast," Fisadi continued. He had to make this work somehow, it was expected of him, "I shouldn't have... insulted your friends. I was rude, and stupid and I was wrong," he said, remembering what his father told him, Women love men to apologise, "And I'm sorry."

Shenzi looked a little less pissed off now, still eating. It was working.

Fisadi continued, speaking fast as if he was embarrassed, the speech he had rehearsed in his head while catching that wildebeest, "It's just that... well, you are beautiful," he watched her blush with satisfaction, "I thought I could win you over easily... I wanted to make you mine. I was stupid to try and control you."

Shenzi continued to blush, "Well... maybe I could forgive you," she said finally, her mouth full.

_Awesome! I'm finally getting somewhere!_ "Maybe we could be friends again?" he asked her, putting on a hopeful look.

Shenzi laughed at that, "I think you're aiming for more than friends," she laughed, but it wasn't a nasty laugh – at least not to another hyena.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Fisadi replied, "I just..." he put on an awkward air, "Maybe we could talk it out? Just the two of us, over a waterbuck? Like... a date, maybe?"

There was a definite pause there. But Fisadi's 'honesty' and flattering and apologising and the gift had done the job. Well, some of the job. Shenzi remembered bitterly Banzai's chilly words. They would remain with her for a good long time.

_Humourless ice queen, am I?_

"Why not?" she asked him, "And hell, why wait? I'm free right now."

Fisadi grinned widely. Fortunately Shenzi took it for genuine happiness at spending time with her, and laughed softly. That was when they were interrupted by a male, panting with excitement.

"Did you hear the news?" he laughed, "Banzai just killed Chukizi in a fight! He threw him off a cliff!"

Fisadi's grin froze on his face. Shenzi almost choked on her laughter and the meat with surprise.

* * *

Rumour doesn't need mouths to spread. As soon as Chukizi had died it was spreading on the wind. At first it hadn't been too far from the truth – Chukizi had attacked Banzai and pulled a fast one on him, they'd fallen off a cliff in the fight and Chukizi had died when they hit the bottom.

Then it had started to change, with parts of the story being subtly, unintentionally altered and omitted. Chukizi had attacked Banzai, they fought and they fell off a cliff and Chukizi had been killed at the bottom.

Chukizi had attacked Banzai, they fell off a cliff during the fight and Banzai killed Chukizi at the bottom.

Chukizi and Banzai got into a fight. Banzai threw him off a cliff and killed him at the bottom.

Banzai threw Chukizi off a cliff in a fight and killed him at the bottom.

Banzai fought with Chukizi and killed him.

Banzai attacked Chukizi and killed him.

Banzai murdered Chukizi.

* * *

"I didn't kill him!" Banzai insisted to a furious Kiruu, "He was dead when we hit the bottom! I swear it! He attacked me!"

Fisadi was still stunned. He didn't like his father but... but... He sniffed at his father's body. He knew the truth. Chukizi had gone out to kill Banzai. Whatever Banzai had done, had been done in self-defence. _Wait... you can use this..._

"Murderer!" he yelled, throwing himself at Banzai. Shenzi and Kiruu caught him half-way there, "He killed my father!"

"He's _your _father?" Banzai asked. He figured that must have some importance what with Fisadi flirting with Shenzi and Chukizi trying to get rid of him but he couldn't work it out right now.

"Please, Banzai," Shenzi left her mother to deal with Fisadi, and approached her friend, "Tell me it's not true."

"It's _not_ true!" Banzai insisted, "He attacked me! I don't even know why, but he attacked me! Why would I want to kill him?"

"I dunno; maybe you're just a psycho like your brother?" Fisadi growled, faking anger and nodding towards Ed, who didn't seem aware of how serious the situation was.

"What'd you just call Ed?" Banzai snarled, bristling with rage.

Shenzi saw Kiruu looking at her. Time to start taking charge, "Cut it out, both of you!" she moved between Banzai and Fisadi, whom Kiruu now let up, "I don't know what happened here but I'm sure as hell gonna find out! Chukizi isn't in any condition to tell me what happened but... but..."

"Shenzi, I'm your- that is, you're my best friend," Banzai pleaded, "And I didn't kill Chukizi!"

The idea that Banzai was a murderer of hyenas didn't sit well in Shenzi's mind. In fact it made her feel ill. She did know him pretty well, and he didn't seem like that kind of guy, no matter how angry she was at him, "Best friend?" she asked him angrily, "Now I don't know what it's like to have a brother-"

"Terrible," Banzai glanced sideways at Ed.

"-But that's how I used to see you," Shenzi finished, "And now, in a matter of hours you take my feelings and you scatter them and totally fuck everything we had right up the ass."

"You still can't think I'd do something like that!" Banzai yelled.

"I don't know what to think about you now, Banzai," Shenzi replied bitterly.

"You have to believe me!" Banzai was begging her now, "I didn't kill Chukizi! He died in the fall off the cliff! And he wouldn't have even fallen off the cliff if he hadn't tried to kill me!"

Shenzi looked around her at the other hyenas, who were all growling at Banzai. Then she looked at Banzai, who had pissed her off. Then she looked at Kiruu. Gods, her mother looked even sicker than she had done yesterday. This was the sort of crap a Matriarch had to deal with, day to day. But Kiruu was giving her the opportunity to deal with it. She had to learn some time.

"Did anybody here see Banzai kill Chukizi?" Shenzi asked.

There was a pause, and a general shaking of heads.

"But he was alive when he fell off the cliff?" Shenzi asked again.

A few hyenas growled at Banzai, but eventually they had to concede that yes, Chukizi had been alive when they both fell off the cliff.

Shenzi nodded, "Then I guess we'll just have to assume that Banzai is telling the truth, won't we?"

Chukizi had not been popular, but murderers were even less so. Fisadi and two other male hyenas started to advance on Banzai anyway.

Shenzi growled, and moved rapidly between the advancing males and Banzai, showing her teeth. There was a long and ugly moment of confrontation, _Like hell am I having my rank as daughter of the Matriarch shitted on by a bunch of flea-bitten males,_ Shenzi thought, _"Won't we?"_ she repeated threateningly, through gritted teeth.

"He murdered my father, Shenzi!" Fisadi snarled, "How can you just let him off like this? Throw him out of the pack!"

Shenzi half-considered it. She was still angry at Banzai.

"I didn't murder anybody!" Banzai growled at Fisadi, "He attacked me!"

"You're a lying sack of shit," Fisadi told him.

There was more hesitation, and then Ed came between them too, standing just behind Shenzi.

The males backed off reluctantly, but in the knowledge that Shenzi not only outranked them, but was also, with backup from Banzai and Ed, capable of beating their asses right off.

Kiruu nodded approvingly at her daughter. Shenzi had not gone with the popular option, but just the same had shown that she had the confidence and muscle to force it through. Eventually the other hyenas dispersed, one by one, until only Fisadi was left.

"Thanks, Shenzi-" Banzai started.

"Don't think this changes anything," Shenzi snapped at him, "I'm still pissed at you." She turned away from him abruptly, leaving him standing.

Fisadi collected himself. He'd been given a unique opportunity to cosy up to Shenzi without Banzai getting in the way. It was time to make the most of it. Without his father around, he had to work these things out for himself. He was gonna get the future matriarch as his mate, no matter what.

"I'm sorry about you losing your father," Shenzi told him, walking away from Banzai.

"I... can't believe he's gone," Fisadi said simply.

"Oh... Fisadi..." Shenzi told him sympathetically, and nuzzled his cheek a little.

Watching Fisadi cosying up to Shenzi like that, Banzai almost choked on his own jealousy.

* * *

Breech: Ah, bullshitting for sympathy. Don't you love it? And I'd better see like, two million reviews up to compensate for how few I got last time!


	10. Evil Plan Number One

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

I got a review from somebody who likes this story but will remain nameless, who thinks I was serious about wanting a million reviews for the last chapter.

Well guess what! Now you don't get no more story! That's what you get for not... uh... damn, what was I going on about again? Oh, yeah... this chapter, and the next, are based off a short story about Simba when he was a cub. Only with less emphasis on Simba and more emphasis on the IMPORTANT parts

* * *

Chapter Ten: Evil Plan Number One

Chukizi was dead.

_Awesome!_ thought the part of Fisadi's brain that had always hated him. His father had been a vain, selfish, arrogant, bullying prick who only thought of his own advancement in the ranks.

Chukizi had deliberately advanced his own personal rank by courting a high-ranking female to try and get a daughter whom he could train to take over the pack. It hadn't worked well, since Fisadi had killed his mother during labour. Chukizi had named him.

But now Chukizi was dead, he didn't have to both with courting Shenzi any more. Still, his father had a point. If you wanted to get anywhere in the pack as a male, you had to start banging some high-ranking ass.

Looked like he was gonna do what his father wanted him to, dead or not.

* * *

"I'm pleased with you, Shenzi," Kiruu told her daughter, "You handled that situation quite nicely."

Shenzi picked up her lucky bone – a skull from the first waterbuck she'd killed – and dusted it off, "Do you really think Banzai might have murdered Chukizi?" she asked her mother.

"Chukizi may have been high-ranking for a male but he was not a pleasant fellow to be around," Kiruu told her daughter, "To be absolutely honest, I'm glad he's gone. I'd be more concerned about Banzai. Isn't he your friend?"

Shenzi hung her head, "I thought he was," she admitted, "Now I'm not so sure..."

"Well, it's never a good idea to be uncertain about these sorts of things," Kiruu replied tiredly, "Maybe after you've found your new cave, you could talk to him about it?"

"Yes, mother," Shenzi agreed, then hesitated, worried, "Are you ill, mother?" she asked.

"I'm suffering from life," Kiruu laughed softly, "Fortunately, I'm nearly cured."

Shenzi worked this one out in her head, "You mean, you're dying?" she asked.

"You're born; you die," Kiruu told her, "The bit in-between is called life, and we must all make the most of it. Now," she growled softly, "It's time for you to move out."

Shenzi hung her head, "Yes, mother..."

"And go talk to Banzai."

"_Yes_, mother."

* * *

Banzai was in his den, dozing quietly.

"Banzai?" his eyes snapped open to see Shenzi standing there, "I had to talk to you..."

"About the thing with Chukizi? I didn't kill him, I swear-"

"No, no, I believe you. I just... wanted to stop by. Wanted to talk to you."

"You did?"

Shenzi gave him a smirk, and stepped forward, with that confident, dominant expression he loved to see, "Well... not so much talk..." as she approached him slowly and seductively, the look on Banzai's face became akin to that of Ed when he was out of it bad, "I would've stuck up for you more but... I can't show weakness, you know?"

"Yeah... I know..." Banzai managed to choke out.

"Leastways... not in public..." Shenzi smirked. She sat in front of him, "I know how you feel about me, Banzai. I've always known, no matter how you try to hide it. I wasn't ready, but... now..."

Banzai couldn't take his eyes off her beautiful form; her mane, her hard muscles, her hunch... He leant forward, "Oh, Shenzi..." he murmured as he began to lick her face.

"Banzai..." Shenzi giggled. And as they continued to lick at each other, her giggles became laughter, increasing in insanity. And suddenly he was kissing ED!

* * *

"SHIT!" Banzai's eyes snapped open. He had drooled all over his face. And Ed was sitting a couple of feet in front of him, laughing like crazy and looking right at him.

He was panting hard. These dreams... these dreams about Shenzi... Always with Shenzi. He ran over to a puddle and plunged his head into it, waking himself up sharply, "DAMN!"

He desired every part of her. Her beauty, her assertiveness, the force of her personality. She had helped him when nobody else would have. She had befriended him, despite his miserable rank. She had stood up for him when all the others thought him guilty. He would do anything for her. He would die for her. He couldn't deny his adoration to himself any longer. He plunged his head into the cold water again. After a moment of thought, he plunged his ass into it too.

Ed continued to laugh at... well, at something.

Banzai was about to tell him to shut up, when he saw Shenzi coming. Damn, was he STILL not awake? He almost plunged his face into the water again, before he remembered what had been in it.

"Banzai," she stated. It wasn't in the sexy, seductive voice she always used in his dreams though. So he probably wasn't dreaming now.

"Uh, yeah?"

"I wanted to talk to you. I mean, I've moved out of my mom's old den, taken a warthog's den, dug it out a bit, got rid of the smell, and all that... and then I felt like I should have a word with you."

"I didn't kill Chukizi!" Banzai insisted.

"I... believe you," Shenzi said, and before he could say any more, continued, "I went to the body. Sniffed it out, looked at it... thought about everything I know about you... And I don't think you killed him. I don't know who attacked who, but his death wasn't your fault."

"Oh. Good."

"Let's walk and talk," Shenzi started walking. Banzai followed her, and Ed followed him.

"I'm not a murderer, Shenzi. Chukizi attacked me. I don't know why; he just hates me." _And I think he had a thing for you,_ he almost added, but kept that part silent, "I'm NOT a murderer!"

Ed laughed behind him, gurgling slightly. Banzai looked around, glaring at his brother, "Lions don't count, Ed! You know it!"

Shenzi just nodded. They approached the gigantic bull elephant skull on the edge of the Graveyard, and climbed up, "I'm still pissed off at you, Banzai."

"I'm really sorry about what I said too, Shenzi. I... I..." Banzai stopped. He didn't mean it. But that would mean he'd have to tell her what he did mean, "I just... Ed was getting on my nerves but that's no excuse... I'm sorry. Are we cool again?"

Shenzi paused, "I figure so. I'll have to stop being mad at you eventually," she looked up again, "Anyway, I'm kinda hungry. How about the three of us go out and catch a waterbuck or two?"

"So... you trust me enough to go hunting with me?" Banzai asked hopefully.

"I trust you not to kill me in my sleep, and for now that should be enough," Shenzi told him.

They had scampered into the Pride Lands towards a small herd of Waterbuck, when Banzai stopped and looked at Shenzi, "Shenzi, before we get dinner, please," he told her, "I didn't mean to kill Chukizi. I know I get into all these fights with other guys but I'm not a murderer. Please believe me..."

"Yes, you said," Shenzi hesitated, "Banzai, half the pack doesn't believe you," she said finally, "Why is it so important to you that... that I believe you?"

Banzai swallowed, _Man but she's so smart as well as beautiful..._ "Because... because you're the best friend I ever had," he lied finally, "I know you heard all that awful stuff but I didn't know you were listening-" he stopped, "I mean, I didn't mean it that way. I was just saying it... to Ed. I'd never say it to anybody else."

Shenzi hesitated. She had no idea what Banzai meant by all of that, "I don't know..." she said slowly. Behind Banzai, Ed was drooling again.

"Seriously, Shenzi," Banzai repeated, "You are the best friend I ever had." _And I wish a million times that we were more than that,_ he thought.

_Oh well..._ Shenzi thought, "Oh, forget it," she told Banzai, then saw his hopeful look, "For now. We've got waterbuck to hunt-" she was cut off mid-sentence when a lion leapt onto one of the waterbuck, killing it and scattering the others. Shenzi was busy mentally cursing when the lion spoke up.

"Well, miss Shenzi, I know you and your friends are there. I was rather hoping we might be able to talk a little."

"What... Scar?" Shenzi stood up cautiously.

"How nice to see you again," Scar told her, "And the other two of you as well. It's just a shame I don't know your names. Do introduce me to your friends, Shenzi."

"Friends..." Shenzi muttered, glaring at Banzai, "Yeah, uh, this is Banzai," she pointed, "And this is his brother Ed. Don't mind Ed; a lioness knocked him on the head when he was little."

"How... interesting," Scar kept his heavy paw on the dead waterbuck, watching with immense satisfaction the way the hyenas' attention gravitated there. Even Shenzi, who had the most self-control of the three, couldn't take her eyes off it, "Now, I spared you all when I caught you meerkat bowling. We made friends, didn't we."

"Yeah, we're great friends," Shenzi agreed. Next to her, Ed was drooling like crazy at the sight and smell of the waterbuck.

Scar nodded, studying the trio. Shenzi he had studied first. She had all the things a good leader needed, which was strength, cunning, and the ability to suspect anybody of anything. Banzai was another matter. Scar recognised him as the type who was a walking slab of meat and bone almost incapable of speaking in any less than a shout. He obviously thought with his muscles, because it would be difficult to use the vacant space between his ears. Ed, on the other hand, was clearly insane and an idiot. But insanity could come in handy, if you could point it in the right direction, and idiocy would agree to almost anything...

He smiled dryly, "And I did say something about you helping me out on occasion... because if you help me, I'll help you. And I would now like to... engage your services..."

Shenzi paused. She hadn't expected that the lion would ever ask for their help. She tried to keep looking at him but her gaze kept gravitating back to the waterbuck, "You mean you were serious about asking for our help?" she asked.

"I have a job for you three," Scar explained, "And the pay will be very good. It's totally optional, of course. If you don't like the idea, you can walk away right now..." he bent down slowly and took a large mouthful of waterbuck and chewed slowly.

If it was possible, the three hyenas were slavering even more, "What's the job?" Banzai asked, still watching the meat.

Scar swallowed, "Ah, it's _delicious_," he told them, "You remember that my dear nephew Simba was born a short while ago? Wouldn't it would be terrible if something bad were to happen to him?"

"Hey, I ain't protectin' no lion cubs," Banzai growled.

Scar rolled his eyes, "It's called _irony_," he replied, irritably, "You see, little Simba will be looking for a good zebra friend of his near the Termite Mounds."

"But the zebra herd is migrating," Shenzi pointed out, "They're heading south. Why would the prince look for a zebra in the north?"

"He wouldn't... unless I were to direct him there," Scar told her, "And when he does get there, you will be waiting. And then you will kill him."

"Okay," Banzai said instantly, still gazing at the waterbuck.

Shenzi managed to tear her gaze from the dead waterbuck again long enough to look up at Scar, "Wait, how do I know this isn't a trap?" she asked.

"If you're afraid, don't go," Scar told her, "But you'll miss out on a nice meal. Consider this," he finally lifted his paw from the waterbuck, and stepped back, "My peace offering."

The three hyenas leapt forward and started to devour the animal; hide, bones and all.

Scar watched with disgust as the hyenas ate messily, "Well... do we have a deal?" he asked them.

Shenzi and Banzai looked up at him, their snouts bloody from the meat, then looked at each other, "What do we get after he's dead?" Banzai asked automatically, swallowing his mouthful.

Scar sighed, "Another waterbuck, delivered to the Elephant Graveyard. So you get this meal, the cub as a snack, and on completion, another easy meal. Well?"

None of the three answered. They had returned to eating. Several minutes passed, but eventually they were almost done.

"So, when will he be going there?" Shenzi asked.

"He should be heading that way at noon tomorrow," Scar told her, "All on his own, he will make a perfect little snack. Of course if you STILL believe it's a trap, just don't go."

"Yeah, I got that the first time," Shenzi replied. She wasn't sure about that. And the Termite Mounds were an awful place to go. Ed had quit eating the waterbuck and was now scratching at himself, still suffering from the fleas he'd caught off the meerkats. The last thing he needed was for to catch anything else. Especially not something catching.

"But remember, not going would mean you were missing out on two easy meals," Scar added, "Whatever your decision, I'll send the little prince there tomorrow around noon." The dark lion turned his back on them and, without even looking back, trotted away calmly to return to Pride Rock.

The three hyenas watched him go, then returned to picking the carcass of the waterbuck clean, their powerful jaws and excellent digestive systems making them capable of devouring just about every scrap of the animal. But eventually they looked up at each other.

Shenzi and Banzai looked at each other, and Ed looked at them, tongue lolling.

"It sounds too good to be true," Shenzi said finally, "Two easy meals? My mom always told me, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Banzai nodded, but he was still thinking about the easy meals. And the lion cub they had to kill to get them, "We're being offered lion cubs for dinner," he said, "We cut a lion out of the food chain early, and get an easy snack. Best of all, it's Mufasa's brat! One less Ahadi Junior to worry about!"

"No, no, no, if we killed Mufasa that would be one less Ahadi Junior," Shenzi corrected him with a grin, "A kid growing up to be just like Mufasa would be Ahadi Junior Junior. Or would it be Ahadi Ahadi Junior?"

Ed giggled and Banzai snickered at that, but Banzai looked up, "Look, we've got the location. If you're so scared about it being some kind of trap, don't come. Me and Ed will do it. It's more lion cub for us. And since we'd be doing the work, we'd get the waterbuck too."

Shenzi paused at that. Missing out on one third of a lion cub wasn't much of a deal. But the waterbuck was more of one, "Last time you went out to kill lion cubs, you almost got killed," she told him, "These vengeance trips you're on... they're stupid."

Banzai stopped at that. Was that really what he was turning into? Somebody obsessed with vengeance?

"Ed's still alive, and you look after him well," Shenzi told her friend, "Which is more than you'll be if you keep going on these vengeance trips. I... don't want to lose you to hate."

Banzai sighed, "It's not like you don't hate lions too," he pointed out, "You know damn well they treat us like second class citizens."

"Yeah, but I don't let it run my life," Shenzi pointed out, "Just because I hate lions, doesn't mean I'm gonna put myself at risk to rip a cub or two apart. Besides, it's a lion who's telling you to go kill this other lion."

Banzai hesitated, then nodded slowly, "I guess... you're right..." he muttered.

"I'm always right," Shenzi laughed.

"But that free Waterbuck sounds good," Banzai pointed out with a smirk.

"NOW you're thinking with your brains," Shenzi grinned, "Okay, I'll come along. If only to make sure you _keep_ thinking with your brains."

The three of them burst into raucous laughter. Well, Ed had already been laughing anyway quietly, but now the sound echoed through the Graveyard and on into the Pride Lands.

* * *

Breech: Next chapter, comes the actual trap. No, not the Elephant Graveyard trap. The one before that. But first... where's my million reviews?!


	11. Splitting The Bill

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: This chapter is loosely based on a story in a book I've got that took place while Scar was trying to get rid of just Simba, a little more subtly. Only there's three hyenas, not two. And hey, look, termite mounds!

Also... incredibly depressing ending to the chapter.

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Splitting the Bill

The Termite Mounds were not a nice place to be. A few ashen skulls lay about here and there, and swarms of flies buzzed all around the place. Dotted around were termite mounds, most four or five meters tall, but a particularly large one being a full nine meters. The nature of termites could see them growing taller. Tall trees provided excellent shelter all around, blocking out much of the sunlight.

Shenzi wondered how Scar had ever persuaded his brat of a nephew to come here. The Termite Mounds were an awful place to be. Somehow even worse than the Graveyard, because the Elephant Graveyard had dead elephants, while the Termite Mounds had termites. Living termites. At least dead elephants couldn't crawl all over you. There were termites _everywhere_.

Ed was so preoccupied with the insects that he wasn't even laughing; even now he was rolling over and over to squash those crawling on him, scratching furiously at himself. He didn't even seem to notice that he was scratching at himself so hard, he had caused himself to bleed in places.

"Where is that damn lion brat?" Shenzi snarled at Banzai, scratching industriously behind one ear, "It's noon already and all we're catching is termites!"

Banzai tried to get rid of an itch in his ass, "If he doesn't turn up in two minutes, damn him, two minutes, I'm leaving and he can be the one catching the termites!"

"To hell with waterbuck! I prefer zebra anyway!" Shenzi agreed whole-heartedly.

Approximately two minutes passed, and Shenzi and Banzai were about to leave when they heard three voices approaching.

"This is where Punda must be." A young male voice. Their target - and their dinner.

"But why would he come here? It's an awful place." A young female voice. Their unexpected side-dish.

"Simba, I don't believe Punda is here," a bird spoke. Dessert, "Your parents will be worrying about you. You should be heading home right now."

"Okay, Zazu," Simba sounded disappointed, "There doesn't seem to be much here for us anyway."

Shenzi took her cue, "But there's something here for us," she grinned hugely, "Dinner, a side-dish and waddaya know... even dessert!"

Zazu gasped in shock as Shenzi and Banzai slunk forward. Ed was too busy trying to deal with his termites... but they didn't exactly need his help for this little buffet. The cubs turned to run away.

"Oh, don't go now," Banzai blocked the three of them, "We were just about to have dinner!" he told Zazu, and started to chuckle.

"You bullies had better leave us alone!" Simba told them loudly.

"Or what?" Shenzi asked them.

"Or my father, King Mufasa will get you both!" Simba shouted, "I'm the future king! You have to do what I tell you!"

"Ooooh," Banzai grinned, pretending this information was new to him, "So you're little prince Simba, huh? You'd think your daddy would teach you better manners than to leave in the middle of dinner!"

"Hey, I got another one!" Shenzi shouted, "Looks like we've got ourselves a meal fit for a king – or a king fit for a meal!" They both continued to laugh.

"Hey, mine's better!" Banzai snickered, "We're gonna have ourselves... a right royal banquet!" The hyenas burst into peals of laughter.

"Hey, what about this one?" Shenzi asked, all her focus on Banzai, "Why is it so important to eat lion cubs before they become lions?"

"Why?" Banzai asked, grinning widely at her.

"Because if you let them grow up it's a... MISSED STEAK!" Shenzi laughed at the terrible pun.

"Man oh man," Banzai laughed and grabbed Simba's tail, and he fell flat on his face before he could make a run for it, "I can't remember the last time I had lion cubs for dinner!"

Shenzi stopped laughing sharply, "Hey, who says you get to have the cubs?" she asked, "I'm the leader; if anybody should get the cubs, it should be me!"

As the hyenas argued over who should get to eat whom, Simba whispered to Nala and Zazu, "Run! Get out of here!"

"I can't leave you!" Nala whispered.

"You have to!" Simba insisted, "Otherwise they'll get us all!"

"I'll get help!" Nala promised her friend.

"It was my brother and dad what got wasted by lions, remember?" Banzai snapped, still holding Simba tightly by the tail, "You can have the bird!"

"You're not giving ME the bird!" Shenzi argued.

"Fine, we'll split the cubs," Banzai scowled, "But then I get the bird."

"Why should you have a cub AND the bird?" Shenzi snapped at him, before cooling down a little, "A moment ago you wanted _me _to have the bird."

"Fine," Banzai scowled, "We'll split the bird."

"Right," Shenzi agreed, "But I get the wings."

"Oh, sure," Banzai grumbled, "Then I get stuck with the bill!"

"Okay, we'll split the bill!" Shenzi told him.

Shenzi and Banzai had finally ended their argument. They looked down to see Nala and Zazu fleeing as fast as they could back towards Pride Rock. Banzai was about to chase them, but Shenzi stopped him, "Don't bother. This is the important one anyway," she told him.

They began to snap at Simba with their sharp teeth. He realised that right now they were only playing... but when they got bored of their game, well, then it would be Game Over for him.

"You won't get away with this!" the little cub wailed, "My father will come and rescue me! And my Uncle Scar will get you, too!"

Shenzi and Banzai looked at each other. Then they burst into peals of uproarious laughter. It was one thing to expect daddy to come to save you. But when Scar had been the one to set up this plan... oh, it was just too much, "Oh, I'm quivering, I'm quivering," Banzai laughed sarcastically.

"We're SO scared!" Shenzi agreed, certain that Scar would be busy distracting Mufasa or any of the lionesses from coming to the rescue.

They snapped at Simba a few more times, before Banzai yawned widely with boredom, displaying sharp teeth, "I'm getting hungry," he declared.

"Gotcha," Shenzi agreed, holding up Simba, "Dinner is served!" Simba made a few pathetic little roars, sounding more like the mewls of a kitten.

Banzai laughed at that, "So, ya think you're tough, huh?" he sneered.

And then there was an earth-shaking, fully-grown lion's roar, so unexpected that Shenzi dropped Simba in terror. Mufasa himself bounded towards the hyenas, taking a heavy swipe at them. All their cockiness and jokes vanished in a flash.

"Move it, move it, MOVE IT!" Shenzi yelled. They passed by Ed, who was still scratching at himself, and grabbed him as they fled. Fortunately, Mufasa didn't bother to chase after them, but stayed with the right royal brat.

* * *

The three hyenas didn't stop running until they got back to the Graveyard. Shenzi and Banzai had a few bruises, but apart from that, they were fine. Ed had done more damage to himself trying to deal with the termites than they had taken from Mufasa.

Shenzi took a few breaths, nursing her bruises, while Ed finally managed to get the last of the termites out of his fur, and Banzai licked some blood from his split lip.

"Aw, we didn't get that cub, and now we're not gonna get that waterbuck!" Banzai whined as his stomach growled.

"Are you kidding me?" Shenzi asked him angrily, "We just got our butts kicked by Mufasa, and we could have been killed, and Scar's gonna be pissed off when he finds out the brat's still alive, and your big problem is that you're gonna miss a meal?" she growled.

"Well, I'm hungry!" Banzai whined again, "It's a problem for me!"

"Then let me give you a bite!" Shenzi barked, and pounced Banzai hard, starting to give him a good thrashing for being so damn annoying.

"Ow! Stoppit! Shenzi, OW! I'm SORRY!" Banzai yelped as he tried to dodge the punches and bites. He could hear Ed laughing like crazy behind him.

"You ignorant, incompetent idiots!" a voice shouted, splitting the two apart. They looked up. Scar was looking down at them, "I offered you cub-on-a-stick, and you utterly failed!"

"Yeah, about that-" Shenzi started.

"You let some of them escape! And they ran to tell Mufasa!" Scar snarled, leaping down.

"You didn't say there'd be others; we thought you just wanted the brat dead!" Banzai protested, backing away hastily.

"Just the same, there should be no witnesses!" Scar growled, "Didn't it occur to you for one moment that the other cub and the bird would go for help?"

"What do I know about lion cubs?" Shenzi pointed out rudely, "I'm a hyena."

Scar gave a roar of rage at the hyena's impudence, and bowled the three of them to the floor, leaving them cowering. Then he stopped, "No," he told them, "No, you're right. You are just hyenas; it's not your fault you're so incompetent..."

"Wh-what?" Shenzi asked, shocked and angry.

Scar stepped back, "You failed... but it's not your fault," he said benevolently, stepping back, "I'll just have to find better help. Maybe the jackals..."

"The JACKALS?!" Banzai shouted, "Those pathetic scroungers? They can't even hunt their own meat; what makes you think they could bring down a lion cub?"

"Yeah, all they do is chew on bones all day!" Shenzi agreed.

"Well, if you can't perform the simple tasks I set you, there's no point in me putting your lives in danger by asking you for aid," Scar grinned smoothly and turned away casually.

"Bullshit!" Shenzi snarled, and hurried after him, followed by Banzai and Ed, "You won't find anybody who can do the job like we can!"

"I'm sure," Scar wrapped a foreleg around Shenzi and dragged her close, "But I don't want my dear friends to get hurt again," he smiled and hugged Banzai to him as well, "I can't really keep bringing you meat when you can't return the favour."

"Oh, you can keep bringing us meat if you want," Banzai pointed out.

Scar shook his head, "No, if you're incapable of doing the job, so be it. I'll have to find somebody else to do your job."

"We can so do the job!" Shenzi snarled, squirming slightly, "We're absolutely capable! Don't you trust us?"

"Of course, I'd _love _to be able to trust you," Scar told her, "It would be wonderful if I could trust you to be capable of following a few simple commands, and we could all be such good friends..."

"Aw, look at you, Scar," Shenzi untangled herself, "Angular, dark colourings, and good sharp claws... you belong with us! We're great friends! You're practically a hyena!"

"That's wonderful news," Scar told her, containing his contempt. That wasn't much of a compliment for him.

"Aw, come ON!" Banzai whined, "If you bring us dinner, we can do anything!"

Scar sighed theatrically, "Well... I do have a few more plans in mind," he said coolly. He had anticipated that implying the hyenas COULDN'T do a job would make them want to do it, "But for now... I'll just drop off this present that you really don't deserve..." he dumped a leg of waterbuck in front of them, which the three of them rapidly began to devour. Then he walked away calmly.

The three of them finished the meat rapidly. Banzai's stomach growled again, "Wish we'd caught those cubs," he grunted, disappointed, "I'm still hungry. I could have used that whole waterbuck..."

"Don't you think I'm hungry too?" Shenzi growled, "That's all you ever talk about! We barely escaped a major ass-whupping by Scar, and he thinks we're losers, and you're still complaining about your stomach?"

"But I'm so hungry!" Banzai whined, and his stomach gave another growl, "I'm so hungry my gut hurts!"

"I'll put something in your stomach!" Shenzi snarled. She leapt at Banzai and started punching him in the gut, "You won't be hungry when I'm done!"

"OW!" Banzai wailed, "Shenzi, I'm sorry! Stoppit, I'm sorry okay!" he wailed as Ed started to laugh all over again, possibly at his brother's misfortune, and possibly at something else.

Banzai was still yelping when Fisadi wandered along. He watched the confrontation for almost a full minute. But eventually Fisadi stopped grinning at Banzai getting his ass handed to him by Shenzi, and put on his 'solemn' face.

"Ahem... Shenzi?" he approached carefully from behind.

Shenzi looked up briefly, "What is it, Fisadi?" she snapped at him as Banzai cowered under her punches, "Can't you see I'm busy?!"

Fisadi sighed, "Where have you been?" he asked her, "I've been looking all over the Graveyard and I couldn't find you anywhere."

"That's because I wasn't IN the Graveyard," Shenzi replied rudely, "I was out hunting, and thanks to this bozo right here, it was all fouled up. Not that it's any of your business anyway."

"That's a shame," Fisadi told her, "I had something really important to tell you, but it's too late now..."

"Too late for what?" Shenzi asked, confused.

"It's just that... I've got bad news," he said as sadly as he could muster.

"What?" Shenzi scowled.

"It's too dreadful," Fisadi said, wiping a fake tear from one eye, "I wish I didn't have to tell you..."

"What is it?" Shenzi asked, her temper calming and being replaced with concern.

"But I thought it would be best if you heard it from me, as your friend," Fisadi continued.

"Pft, yeah, _friend_," Banzai sneered under Shenzi, and got a whack to the nose for it, "OW!"

"It's just awful... I can hardly bring myself to tell you-" Fisadi saw the irritated expression returning to Shenzi's face, "It's about your mother Kiruu," he finished quickly.

"My mother?" Shenzi backed up off Banzai quickly, feeling a chill go down her spine, "What about my mother? What's wrong? Did she go on a hunt and get hurt? Has she gotten worse?"

"No, she's not sick or hurt," Fisadi told her.

"Then what's WRONG with her?" Shenzi demanded.

Fisadi paused, his heart singing. He'd treasure this moment. He'd like to press this moment and put it carefully in a big book of wonderful moments of his life, so that when he was old he could take it out occasionally, and remember it in every exquisite detail, "Well if you want it in its most basic form," Fisadi sighed, leaving a long pause for emphasis, "She's dead."

Shenzi's face froze up, leaving her speechless with shock. Banzai rolled to his feet, speaking for her, "Kiruu's dead? What do you mean, dead? She's the Matriarch; she can't be dead!"

"For the less intelligent among us, it simply means that she's not alive any more," Fisadi hung his head, hiding his smirk, "She died in her sleep, while you were out on your hunt," he told Shenzi, "It was a very peaceful death."

The look on Shenzi's face was one Fisadi knew he would treasure forever. It was priceless. Her absolute speechlessness was a sight to behold. Finally her expression managed to change into another, which was harsh anger, "You're a lying sack of shit," she said with difficulty.

"No, really," Fisadi said regretfully, "She really is-"

Shenzi bolted away from him and Banzai before he could finish, running for her mother's den with all her speed, "MOTHER! MOTHER!" she barked even as she ran. The den was surrounded by quiet, unusually sombre, high-ranking females, whom she shoved aside roughly, "Mother! Mother!"

Banzai caught up, blocking her way, "Shenzi, you probably don't want to-" she slammed a paw into the side of his head and knocked him out of her way, "Okay then..." he winced from the ground.

Shenzi ran into the den, still barking, "Mother! Mother! Mo-" she stopped, her heart freezing up. It was as if ice had been poured through her body; it froze up her body, her mouth, and even her very emotions. She felt as if her heart could have stopped beating.

Kiruu was lying very still in her sleeping area. Too still. Shenzi approached her mother; her heart in her mouth, "Mom?" she asked, and nudged the sleeping Kiruu. The old female was cold and stiff, "Mom, this... this isn't funny..." she managed, "Stop messing around... you're too old for that... You gotta get up... you got a pack to run..."

She nudged Kiruu again, harder. The old matriarch rolled slightly, and then slumped back, "You gotta keep training me to be the next Matriarch..." Shenzi managed, nudging her again, "You gotta... you gotta..." she stepped back, her head hanging, "You gotta be... my mom..." she whispered.

She felt the sobs rising in her throat, and hung her head further. Tears began to roll down her cheeks. But she didn't break into hysterics. Despite everything, the tears coursing down her face rolled without ceremony, and she remained silent. Because her mother had told her that a Matriarch didn't go into hysterics, or lose her temper. They would remain composed and calm and most of all, in control of the situation, at all times.

_She's dead,_ Shenzi thought, the tears rolling silently down her face, _She's really dead, and you never got to say goodbye, because you went out to make sure that Banzai didn't do anything stupid... and that was all fouled up anyway...  
_

"Shenzi?" And then Banzai was standing next to her, looking at the body of her mother.

"I never got to say goodbye..." Shenzi whispered. Her throat felt so dry, as if she'd been eating sand all day. A single, soft sob escaped her.

"Shenzi..." Banzai saw the tears rolling down her face. She was so sad... he'd never seen her like this. Angry, excited, and ecstatic, yes, but never sad. Her tears alone were almost breaking his heart.

"Fisadi was telling the truth..." Shenzi whispered, tears rolling slowly down her face, "She's dead. She really is dead. And I never got to say goodbye... And now I'm going to have to fight to be the next Matriarch, like she wanted me to be. Like I want to be."

"Shenzi..." Banzai repeated softly, expecting her accusations at any moment. For her to blame him, and start screaming at how it was all his fault that she hadn't been here. To his relief, she didn't. But he couldn't stand her tears for one moment longer. He reached up with one paw to wipe them away, even though they kept coming, "I know you can do it."

Shenzi butted his paw away gently and looked up at him, the tears still streaking down her face, "So you'll be there?" she asked.

"Believe me, Shenzi," Banzai grinned, "I wouldn't miss your inevitable moment of glory for the Pride Lands themselves." He nudged her cheek gently with his nose; the equivalent of a kiss on the cheek.

To his delight, Shenzi didn't protest. Maybe she was too occupied with her mother's dead body. She took a deep breath, composing herself and straightening up – at least as much as it was possible for a hyena to do – before wiping her eyes again herself. She took another deep breath, and turned her back on the body, walking to the entrance of the den.

Banzai watched her leave, concerned. Shenzi was perfectly calm and collected. And since Shenzi was the best friend he'd ever loved, he knew that when she was calm and collected like that, she was almost certainly under massive emotional stress. Well, her mother had just died. Of course she was.

Shenzi faced the crowd outside the den, which was rapidly growing, and spoke, "Matriarch Kiruu is dead," she stated, only the slightest tremor in her voice, "Tonight will be spent in mourning. The trials for the next Matriarch will be held tomorrow in the meeting area, beginning at dawn. I will be competing."

The crowd parted respectfully for her as she walked past them silently, not looking back.

Fisadi followed her, smirking.

* * *

Breech: Where's my millions of reviews?! I want them right now!


	12. End Of One Era

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: We're approaching the hyena's role in The Lion King now – but that doesn't mean we're coming to the end of the fic. Oh, and I did some research on Ed. The Special Edition character profiling of the hyenas reveals that Ed is neither stupid nor completely insane; he "knows the score". Therefore, judging by his behaviour in the movies, I'd say he was a Manic Depressive.

* * *

Chapter Twelve: End Of One Era

The Elephant Graveyard was very quiet. Hyenas weren't usually quiet. If they got angry they made a noise, and if they got excited they made a noise, but as the sun set and the moon began to rise, there was an eerie silence about the place. On the whole, most of them were either mourning the passing of Kiruu, or contemplating what came next. This was no time for making noise.

Fisadi followed Shenzi quickly, before Banzai got the chance, and found her sitting on a skull, facing the Pride Lands. Although she didn't seem to be looking at anything. In fact, her gaze was as vacant as that of Ed's when his brain slipped into neutral.

"So your mother's just died," he said softly.

"Yes. Thank you for telling me when I returned." Shenzi's voice was almost monotone.

"In her sleep. I hear it was a very peaceful death," Fisadi supplied.

"Yes."

"If I was going to die, that's how I'd like to go," Fisadi added. It was a lie. Dying in his sleep was one of the things that frightened him the most. One of the others was lions.

"Yes."

"You can cry if you want to. I won't tell anybody."

"I know."

"And of course, there's the matter of who will become the next Matriarch. We'll have a new one by tomorrow night. Quite a few high-ranking females competing."

"Yes."

It occurred to Fisadi that he was supplying both sides of the conversation. He racked his brain, and tried harder, "And being Kiruu's daughter, you're competing too, naturally. Think you've got any... competition?"

The question finally stirred Shenzi's brain out of neutral, and back into action. She blinked and actually thought about it, "Well, most of the high-rankers who would try are old. Experienced, but old. If they couldn't beat... Kiruu... to it in their youth, they won't beat me. Most of the younger ones don't have the training. I'd say there are a couple who might give me a little trouble..." She sank into thought again, not neutral, but proper thought, considering the females who could give her trouble.

"Know their names?" Fisadi asked.

"Hmm? Oh, some of them..." Shenzi nodded, but didn't seem to be thinking about that, "My mom explained it all to me. See, every female in the pack wants to be in charge, right? But most of them, well, they know they haven't got a hope in hell, so they don't try. And then when who's going to compete gets out, and it does pretty quick, others pull out when they hear names. So that thins it out. And eventually the only ones competing are the best, or the ones too stupid to not pull out."

Fisadi nodded. It made perfect sense, "Well, I'll be right there, cheering you on," he told her confidently, "I don't think there's anybody better for our next leader than you. You'll make your mother proud; I know you will."

_Bingo. _

Shenzi smiled at him properly, "Thanks, Fisadi," she told him, "That means a lot; really it does."

"I know I've said it before, and I've tried it before, but..." Fisadi deliberately stalled, "Oh, I can't... this is the wrong time; the wrong place..."

"Fisadi..." Shenzi's voice had softened a little.

"...your mother's just died, and tomorrow there's going to be the trials, I just can't..." an inner Fisadi was laughing at how easy this was, "I want to, but I can't..."

"You can't shut up." Shenzi leant forward and licked his cheek. A hyena's kiss.

He licked her cheek back.

And then they were kissing again and again, and more and more fiercely. Shenzi leant back, pulling Fisadi with her, and he was lying on top of her, their bodies heating up, their kisses growing more and more passionate, their hips pressed together, and Fisadi feeling those lower muscles hardening and pressed between them.

Fisadi smirked, "Your fur... is as smooth as a cub's," he told her, and pretended to gaze deep into her eyes, "And in the moonlight... your eyes glow like amber..."

Shenzi flushed deeply.

This was just so _easy_.

Neither of them noticed the pair of angry eyes shining green with rage in the shadows, before they dimmed again in despair, and the owner turned and left.

* * *

So easy. Almost too easy, Fisadi thought as he lay next to the sleeping Shenzi. It was a shame she hadn't allowed him to finish up inside of her, but he could wait a few more days. He stood up, stretched, gazed at the stars for a few seconds, and then trotted back into the Graveyard without even looking behind him. No. Not too easy. Nothing could ever be _too_ easy.

Beautiful as she was, and powerful as she would be, and as much as she was attracted to him, and despite how hard they had just fucked – he'd quite enjoyed it – he still had to make absolutely certain of his success. Eliminate all possible remaining contenders.

Banzai was, in Fisadi's opinion, competition to be eliminated right now. He couldn't just be killed, of course, because Shenzi would never stop until she'd found his real killer, and he wanted his kidneys to remain _inside_ his body, thank you so very much.

But as his late father had said, there were more ways to deal with a threat than killing it. More than one way to skin a lion. The problem was that Banzai was Shenzi's friend, and she listened to him. Considering the fact that Fisadi had just won her, wouldn't have mattered quite so much if Banzai didn't see right through his facade.

If Fisadi had known Banzai better, or been a little smarter, he would have understood that the other hyena didn't _actually_ see through his facade. He wasn't smart enough. Banzai just hated Fisadi for being competition for Shenzi, but rationalised the hatred by thinking Fisadi was a bad person. The main difference between the two males was that Banzai actually did love Shenzi. And that he was right about Fisadi.

Men like Fisadi are not above removing a threat even after it is no longer a threat. It's one of the things that brings about their downfall. The good guys don't get the girl because they're good. It's just that the bad guys don't know when to stop being bad.

Fisadi tracked down Banzai about an hour before sunrise. The hyena hadn't eaten a good meal all day, and was now gnawing on what was once somebody's thigh-bone, in a dark and secluded part of the Graveyard. Not hard though. He looked depressed, and didn't notice Fisadi's approach behind him. He didn't hear Fisadi climbing to a strategic point on what had been a simply enormous bull elephant.

He only looked up, when he heard the sharp bark of laughter, and saw Fisadi kicking the skeleton in a particularly fragile spot. And by then it was too late.

Fisadi laughed as he watched Banzai suddenly caught in the avalanche of bones, and waltzed on down, still laughing. He looked for Banzai under the rubble. The hyena was breathing slowly. Still alive, damn! Well, this was enough for now, "Still not paying enough attention to your surroundings, huh Banzai?" he asked mockingly.

"You... bastard, Fisadi," Banzai panted. He tried to heave the bones off his back, but there were just too many, and they were too heavy, "Why the hell... did you do that? You could have... killed me!"

"Well, that was what I had hoped for," Fisadi chuckled, "But this could work out even better, and to be honest... it's because Shenzi will be mine... and nobody, not even you is going to stand in my way."

"I saw you with Shenzi," Banzai growled, "You've won already! She loves you, not me! You didn't need to pull this shit too!"

"Because I'm not stupid," Fisadi sneered in his face, "I know you want Shenzi too much to not tell her how I really feel. She only sees you as a friend, of course. But if she doesn't even see you as a friend... it won't matter, because she won't listen to anything you'll tell her."

"What the hell are you talking about, you wanker?" Banzai asked him, "Your true feelings? What's that supposed to mean?"

Fisadi blinked. Then he shrugged, "You know I don't love Shenzi," he said finally, "But her power... or at least, the power she's going to have, will be as much mine as it will be hers. More so, in fact. Now that's something to love..."

"I knew it!" Banzai growled, but hesitated, "Actually... I didn't... Oh, fuck that!" he started struggling under the bones, "I knew it! Bastard!"

"Oh, come on, you were only interested in her for the same reason," Fisadi smirked. He sounded as if he really believed it too.

"That... is so not true," Banzai grunted as he tried again to get the bones off him, or at least shift them into a position where they were not crushing his lungs, "I... I love her. I've always loved her... even before I knew what love was. You don't love her. You only love yourself."

Fisadi stopped for a moment, then bent down close, "You killed my father."

"No, Fisadi. I _am_ your father," Banzai said. Then he laughed, despite the pain in his ribs, "No. Your father killed himself, when he tried to make me stop loving Shenzi..." he glared at Fisadi, "And you know it... don't you?"

Fisadi growled, then smirked, "In less than an hour, the trials for the next Matriarch will begin, and I will be there, cheering Shenzi on, because I love her. But you won't be there, because you don't care. Because it's too much effort."

"Bastard..." Banzai panted as he tried to push the bones off his body.

"And then you won't be friends, and you won't have a hope in hell with Shenzi, and she will be mine," Fisadi continued, "I'll see to it that you'll wish you died in this fall of bones," he continued confidently, smirking.

"The way you're goin' on now, I'm already wishin' that," Banzai told him, "Enjoying yourself, are you?" he asked, listening to Fisadi's prolonged speech.

The other male continued, "You won't be anybody; you'll just be another face in the crowd. You'll be the last to eat, fighting the vultures for the last scraps of rotting flesh." He leant in, and there was a _look_ in his eyes, one that Banzai had seen only once before, when he had looked up into the eyes of Scar and been told all about the new nephew Simba and that guy called Reggie.

Fisadi's eyes looked like little orbs of hate.

"And everybody will watch as you and your idiot brother trail around, begging for scraps to survive. And they'll say, 'there go the mad, stupid hyenas'."

"They say that now," Banzai managed a grin, "They think I don't hear."

"No female will choose you, I'll see to that too," Fisadi growled, "Nobody will say a kind word to you. You'll live alone, and you'll die alone. But you'll live. And you'll stay with the pack. And you'll watch as I win Shenzi's heart, as I sire her cubs and as she forgets all about you."

Banzai's eyes widened, "You can't do that!" he snarled, "You can't control people like that – it's not _possible _to control people like that!"

Fisadi began to grin again, "And all the time you're watching, you'll know what I really think of Shenzi. And you'll watch as I dominate her; as I run the pack; as she becomes a slave to me! And you'll watch the way I treat her and you won't be able to do a damn THING about it; oh, I'll see to that too."

Banzai growled, "Let me give you a little tip, Fisadi," he told the other hyena, "Kill me. Kill me right now while you have the chance, because if you hurt Shenzi, ever, in any way, you are a dead male," he took a breath, "I love her, Fisadi. I won't let you treat her that way. And neither will she."

Fisadi just laughed at that, "She already has," he sneered, "By the time you get out from under those bones, Shenzi will be Matriarch, I will be Alpha Male, and you will no longer be her friend."

He turned his back on Banzai then, as easily and as coldly as he had turned his back on Shenzi, and walked away.

Banzai watched him go, jaw dropping. Then the sun began to rise and the Graveyard turned from eerie, mourning silence into raucous, noisy excitement. Now he knew why Fisadi had stayed here to chat and mock him. It was to stall him. If he'd cried out in the silence of the night, he would have been heard, and people would have come, freed him from this crushing prison. But now they were too interested in the trials. Even if they heard him they probably wouldn't come.

Just the same, Banzai screamed out for the one person in the world he knew would come, no matter what.

"ED!"

* * *

Shenzi slept.

And she found herself in a wide field. "I love you, Shenzi."

Shenzi looked up, and around, and finally at the mist forming into the familiar shape before her, "Mother? Mother! Oh, I'm so sorry... I never got to say goodbye, and you died-"

Kiruu sighed, "Yes, I am dead, and thus I left... But the next time we meet, we shall never say goodbye."

The image faded and retreated slowly.

Shenzi gasped and gave chase, "Mom! No, don't leave me! Don't leave me! I'm not ready! I never said..." she slowed to a halt, feeling the tears at the corners of her eyes, "I never said goodbye..."

She began to cry again.

"Shenzi?"

She looked up sharply, "Who-"

"Shenzi..." the figure in the distance repeated softly.

She raced towards it, and after what felt like an eternity of running, reached the figure. The voice was that of a male, and the body showed he was a hyena. She tried to see his face but her tears blurred her vision, "Who are you?"

"Don't cry," he wiped her tears away from her eyes, and she tried to see his face, but every time, it eluded her somehow. He was beside her, behind her, anywhere but where she was looking, but he never left her side, "I hate it when you cry."

"Who are you?" she asked again, trying to catch a glimpse. She felt like she should know this male...

"Just... somebody... who would do anything for you," he told her firmly. He buried his face in her bangs even as she turned frantically to see who she was.

This time Shenzi buried her face in his chest fur and breathed in. She should be able to recognise him from his scent, but the dream kept her from doing even that, "Who _are_ you?" she asked again.

"I'd _die_ for you..." The manner of speaking was almost recognisable, "You know it."

"But who-" she was cut off when he embraced her; held her closely and tightly and possessively, but gently and even lovingly all at the same time.

"Shenzi, please..." he gave her a small lick on her forehead, his tongue so warm and wet, "Don't let it end here. If you can't recognise me, we can't be together."

Shenzi hesitated, and he rubbed his cheek gently against hers, once again hiding his face from her, "Who are you?"

"You know who I am," he murmured in her ear, licking it gently.

"Who _are _you?" she almost begged him for an answer, her heart pounding and her body shivering slightly as he ran one paw down her hunch. For them to be so close felt so right...

He began to retreat into the shadows, "You know who I am..."

"No! Don't leave!" Shenzi clutched to grasp the shadows, and they slipped right through her paws, "I love you! Who are you?"

"You know who I am..." the shadows repeated softly.

"But who are you?" Shenzi looked around the ridge frantically as the male faded and retreated all at once, "Don't leave me! Please, who are you?" she began to sob as she chased after shadows, ripples, anything that might give her a clue as to the strange hyena, "Who are you?" she wailed.

There was nobody to be seen. The words came one last time, as a whisper on the wind, "You know who I am..."

And she was alone with the tears.

* * *

Breech: Aw, a romantic dream. And next chapter... the battle for being the matriarch begins! And another character is introduced. Come on, REVIEW, dammit! Where's my millions of reviews? No millions of reviews, no chapters!


	13. Beginning of Another

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: At the end of this chapter there's another song. If the event had taken place during the day with Lebo M singing, it would be "Circle of Life". As it is... I rewrote the song to suit the night, also using lyrics from Elton John's version.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: Beginning Of Another (aka The Rip-Off Of Life)

The hyenas had gathered around the coliseum. Since the sun had risen, hyenas had flooded in, most to watch, others to compete. Even very young hyena cubs had been carried from their dens to witness this monumental occasion; the selection of their next Matriarch. It was something they would only witness once in their lifetime.

So far though, there hadn't been much fighting. Females stepped forward to face each other. When a strong one faced a weak one, the weaker usually just submitted without a struggle. But now they were being narrowed down to the strongest, the smartest and the most experienced who were left – and they really would fight for power.

Shenzi watched a young female cower as she growled deeply, and hurry out of the ring. She laughed triumphantly, and looked up again. Fisadi was near the front of the seats, cheering her on. But where were Banzai and Ed?

No matter where she looked among the crowds, she couldn't see them. Where were they?

* * *

"ED!" Banzai screamed again. He wasn't weak, but he couldn't get these bones off him on his own.

He heard a cackling laugh, and Ed padded forward, grinning, his head tilted to one side. Ed hadn't gone to the trials. This wasn't because he didn't care, but because he'd been too fascinated by playing "Pounce your own shadow" as the sun rose. Then his shadow had started shouting his name, so he pounced in that direction. He stared at his trapped brother, and the voices in his head started to laugh at the sight, so he joined in.

"Ed!" Banzai shouted, incredibly relieved that his brother had found him, "Come on! This isn't funny! You gotta help me get these bones off me!"

Ed giggled.

"Come on!" Banzai snapped, "I've gotta get to the trials and find Shenzi! Fisadi pulled this shit! He's gonna hurt Shenzi if we don't stop him!"

"Guh?" The light of comprehension started to dawn in Ed's eyes. Unfortunately, it said, 'Tilt!'.

"ED!" Banzai howled, trying to keep his brother's attention.

* * *

"Where are Banzai and Ed?" Shenzi asked Fisadi, taking a break. The non-fighters were down and out. Now only the females who would really fight were left in, "Banzai said he'd be here..."

"I guess they just couldn't be bothered," Fisadi replied. Shenzi looked out over the ring, and he smirked.

"No, that's not like Banzai..." Shenzi frowned, disappointed. She'd wanted Banzai and Ed to be there for her victory, as well as Fisadi.

"Well then, maybe he forgot?" Fisadi asked, "Or there was something more important for him to do. I guess they're not such good friends as you thought, huh?"

Shenzi didn't answer. She just trotted back into the ring. The female she was about to face was rather old, but very experienced. This was going to be the first real fight, and the watching hyenas began to whoop and cheer on whoever they wanted to win. At least she could see Fisadi cheering her on.

The two females began to circle each other, growling and trying to intimidate the other. It wasn't working though. Shenzi fixed her gaze on the older female's neck. Then she jumped at her. They both rolled in the dust, biting and snapping at each other. But the older one was too aged to keep it up for long. She took several nasty bites, and scratches, before finally, panting and bleeding heavily, she backed away, bowing and crouching in submission to Shenzi.

Howls and cheers and laughter went up as Shenzi grinned widely, watching the old female limp out of the ring. But the smile was a mask, as once again she scanned the crowds for her friends. Where _were_ they?

* * *

Ed finally trotted forward and tugged at a few bones with his teeth. They didn't budge. So he wrapped his powerful jaws around one, and bit down hard, breaking it in half and pulling the two halves out of the pile much more easily.

Banzai grimaced. Why hadn't he thought of that? It didn't say much for his intelligence that his crazy brother Ed had thought up such an idea, and it had not even occurred to him. He gripped another bone closer to him between his own jaws, biting it in half. While he couldn't pull it out, it meant Ed didn't have to break it, and could pull it out soon enough.

Working together, they continued to dig Banzai out of the rubble of bones, scattering broken bones around them.

* * *

"Your majesty!"

"Zazu?" King Mufasa stopped discussing the matter of Simba's betrothal to Nala with Scar and Sarafina, and looked down at his major-domo, "Important news, I take it?"

"There's a huge clamour from the Elephant Graveyard, Mufasa," Zazu informed him, "I know that place isn't normally of your concern but the call is that their previous ruler, Matriarch Kiruu, has just died. They're choosing a new Matriarch right now!"

Mufasa raised an eyebrow in concern, "A new Matriarch?" he asked, "That does concern us, Zazu. My father King Ahadi made a peace treaty of sorts with Kiruu. But I will not have made a treaty with their new Matriarch."

Scar looked up suddenly, "Do you know who it is yet?" he asked.

"No, Scar, they are still competing," Zazu told him.

Mufasa looked troubled, "As soon as you know, you must tell me," he told Zazu, "And I will want to hold an audience with their new Matriarch, to discuss a new peace treaty. You may leave."

"Yes, your majesty," Zazu bowed, and excused himself.

_A new Matriarch?_ Scar thought to himself, _Wouldn't it be simply precious if it was young Shenzi?_ Then he wouldn't have to waste his time making new hyena 'friends'.

* * *

Shenzi panted heavily as she tended to a deep scratch on her shoulder. She licked the blood away carefully. The last fight had gotten very ugly, before she had managed to force the younger, less experienced female into submission. And Banzai still hadn't arrived. It looked like Fisadi had been right; he had forgotten. Some friend; she was always there with him, but where was he now that she needed his support?

She looked up as the next contender entered the ring. The final fight.

Her final opponent was a rough-and-ready female called Afisa, only a year older than her. High-ranking, strong and smart; Shenzi didn't have any advantages over her. Even the injuries they had sustained while fighting their way to this point were about equal. It wasn't that Shenzi didn't think she could beat Afisa. But what was the point?

"Well, Shenzi," Afisa grinned and blew a tuft of her mane out of her eye, "Here we are." Afisa, like Shenzi, had none of the grey 'stubble' on her snout that most males sported. But her fringe was much, much thicker over her forehead, falling in a single tuft rather than separate bangs.

"Here we are," Shenzi agreed. Afisa would make a fine Matriarch. But, she thought, she would make a far better Beta Female, "You know, if you want to quit while you're ahead, now's the time."

Afisa laughed as the two females began to circle each other, "Funny, I was about to suggest the same thing to you!" she laughed. She saw Shenzi scanning the crowds, "Looking for somebody?" she asked, raising a thin eyebrow.

"Maybe," Shenzi admitted. She returned her attention to Afisa. The noise from the watching hyenas was almost a physical thing, all of them cheering on their 'candidate', "So you're not gonna back down?" she asked.

"Nope. You?" Afisa checked.

"Nope. You?" Shenzi grinned. The smile was so forced that she feared it might crack and fall off her face.

The two females continued to circle each other, with the pack watching breathlessly. Then Afisa leapt. Shenzi had been expecting it and rolled, and the two females engaged in a furious battle for the Matriarchy. And every moment she fought, Shenzi could only think of Banzai, and wonder why he wasn't there...

* * *

"Come ON, Ed!" Banzai managed to struggle out of the pile of bones. He was hungry, he was tired, and he ached all over. But more than that, he was angry. Really, really angry at Fisadi. But even more than that, he knew he had to get to the fight, to prove to Shenzi that he hadn't forgotten; that he did care, "We've got to get to the fights!"

* * *

Afisa was surprised at how easy this was. Shenzi was fighting, yes, but she wasn't really _trying_. She had given Shenzi several nasty scratches and the female didn't even seem to care. The rock floor of the ring was stained with her blood. Afisa pinned Shenzi to the ground, and bit her shoulder hard, leaving blood flowing freely from the wound.

"Now," she said, pinning the bloody Shenzi to the ground, and speaking clearly for all the pack to hear, "Do you also submit to me?"

Shenzi looked around the ring. The howls had quietened now, waiting for her to give in. Her searching eyes did not find Banzai or Ed, but they did meet those of Fisadi. He looked back at her, and sneered in disgust at her defeat, before his gaze switched and he fixed his eyes on Afisa, who was now only waiting for Shenzi to confirm her victory.

"Do you submit?" Afisa shouted louder at her, her voice echoing in the ring.

Shenzi was about to give in, when a voice like a chainsaw carving an ice sculpture broke through the near silence, "Shenzi! Shenzi! I didn't forget! I came!"

Banzai pushed his way through the other hyenas, biting at anybody who didn't get out of his way. Every hyena's attention broke from Afisa and Shenzi, right to him, where he stood on the edge of the ring, "I didn't forget! Really, I didn't! Don't give in! I know you can win!"

Various jaws dropped. Shenzi rolled over, and attacked Afisa violently, her strength, her purpose, her determination returning to her in a flood. The two females rolled again, and this time Shenzi was really fighting – not fighting to kill, but fighting to win. The silence was broken by the howls rising up again as the battle resumed; louder than ever. Afisa was knocked on to her back repeatedly, and every time she rolled back to her feet, she was knocked down by Shenzi again.

"I'll never submit!" Shenzi howled.

Now that Shenzi had her motivation back, the fight turned savage, and the stone of the ring was stained red with the blood of both females now, the blood flowing freely from both as they battled for supremacy.

Panting for breath, with blood all over her body, Shenzi pinned Afisa to the rock, "Now... _you..._ submit!" she gasped out.

The bloody Afisa looked up at her, and the two powerful females eyed each other for a long and silent moment. Afisa nodded silently, knowing she couldn't win now. Suppressing her trembles of exhaustion, Shenzi stepped back off her. Afisa rose to her feet, bloody from head to tail, and stepped back, trembling.

"I... submit..." Afisa gasped out, her voice loud and clear, and crouched as the sun set and the moon began to shine more clearly, "I submit... to Matriarch Shenzi..."

_We may not sail through our troubles,  
But we can still live with the scars,  
And we may fall by the wayside,  
__But we can still look to the stars,_

_It's far too dark to find meat now,  
And at first there's nothing to see,  
Then the moon shines its light,  
Through the darkest of night,  
And you're amazed at who you can be,_

"To Matriarch Shenzi!" Afisa shouted again, whooping her respectful howls to the Graveyard, who gave additional whoops and cheers of admiration, every one of them joining in. Panting, Shenzi looked around her at them all, astonished that she'd made it so far, as they began to whoop and call out.

The chant went up around the ring, with Banzai, and now Ed too, whooping and laughing at the very front of the pack, noses pointed at the ground.

_In the Circle of Life,  
It's within us all,  
Where the fall from grace,  
Meets the leap of faith,  
_

_But we'll find our way,  
Sure as night turns to sunrise,  
In the Circle,  
The Circle of Life,_

The pack became silent again, and watched as Shenzi, bloody and exhausted from her battle for leadership, began to ascend gracefully to a high balcony-like rock, looking down on her pack proudly. As she reached the top, a strong gust of wind blew through the normally still air of the Elephant Graveyard, ruffling through her rough black mane. She could feel a shiver run up her hunch from excitement. Several of the boilers erupted.

Then Shenzi let loose her own powerful cackle, and then reared up on her hind legs, clawing at the air, before returning to four paws again, pointing her nose at the ground, and releasing another series of powerful whoops of victory from her throat. The other hyenas followed with more of their own howls and screams.

"Matriarch Shenzi! Matriarch Shenzi!"

_It's the Circle of Life,  
It's within us all,__  
We laugh then we cry,  
We're born then we die,_

Afisa crouched first, as was traditional. The rival's submission was followed by the crouching of every male, female and cub in the coliseum, all prostrating themselves before their new Matriarch.

"Matriarch Shenzi! Matriarch Shenzi!"

A shaft of moonlight pierced the clouds of the night and shone down on the balcony, lighting Shenzi up even in the darkness of the night. It gave the green smoke a luminescent glow, making the Graveyard seem even more creepy than it usually did, which really said something.

_And the parts between,  
Are known as living,  
In the Circle,  
The Circle of Life…_

The howls became laughter, filling the Elephant Graveyard and echoing, conveying the message far, far away, out of the Graveyard and carrying, carrying on the wind far into the Pride Lands. For the Graveyard Clan, a whole new era had begun...

* * *

Breech: Yeah, I know I tried to rip off the various coronation and presentation scenes from The Lion King for Shenzi. But you just can't help it. I mean, they did get nominated for all sorts of stuff.

Afisa is not gonna be a huge character, but she will be there. Her appearance is actually based on a female hyena you see (very) briefly in The Lion King 1 ½ who looks radically different to the generic hyenas. Afisa, by the way, means Military Officer in Swahili.


	14. Banishment

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: Yeah, I know it's been a while since the last update. Ironically, it's not because I don't have the chapters - it's because I've been so goddamn lazy.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: Banishment

Ah, happy day. Happy, happy day. This was what Shenzi thought as she considered that now she was the Matriarch, and ran the show. Shortly after she'd been inducted to her role, she'd moved from her bachelorette den to a much larger, better one. And now she was standing there, listening to Banzai, who was frantically telling her why he had shown up so late.

"See, Fisadi really did knock those bones on me," Banzai said, "I nearly didn't get out, but Ed found me and helped me get out just in time! Fisadi said he only cared about you because you were bound to be Matriarch, and he didn't want me to show up so that you wouldn't be my friend any more!"

Ed nodded at all of this, or maybe something else; nobody could ever be totally sure about what was going on in his head now.

"He's a lying sack of shit," Fisadi insisted, "I adore you, Shenzi! I-"

"I saw you sneering when I almost surrendered to Afisa," Shenzi told him, referring to her new Second In Command. It was traditional to make the runner-up your Second. You didn't HAVE to, of course, but then your Second wouldn't be the second strongest female in the pack. Plus, it was always a good idea to keep your near-equals in a place you could see them.

"No! I was sneering at Afisa!" Fisadi lied.

"Then how dare you sneer at my second-in-command!" Shenzi snarled.

"I saw you mouthing off that crap about eyes glowing like amber," Banzai told him rudely.

"And I saw the pile of broken bones, right where Banzai said they were," Shenzi added.

Fisadi hesitated, "Okay, so I pinned him. So what? I never knew it would affect you so much," he told her, the lies spewing forth like a fountain, "I never stopped supporting you for a moment."

"Buck-shit," Shenzi told him, "It all makes sense now. And you're hardly the first male to pull that crap either. I oughta kill you where you stand."

"But... But Shenzi, I'm... your friend!" Fisadi whined, cowering.

"It all makes sense now," Shenzi said, speaking as if she hadn't even heard him, "Your father attacking Banzai... so that he couldn't get in your way. You spread those rumours about Banzai being a murderer, to get rid of him."

Behind Shenzi, a huge and unmistakable grin of triumph was spreading over Banzai's face.

"Please don't kill me..." Fisadi whined.

"Then you could have killed him when you dumped those bones on him," Shenzi said coolly, "I bet it was a real let-down that he survived, huh? But you underestimated the power of friendship. My friends matter to me, Fisadi. Do you even have any friends?" she asked, then turned to face the watching pack, "Is there ANYBODY here who will speak up for him?"

There was a prolonged silence. It wasn't that Fisadi was unpopular. But he'd spent so much time plotting to get Shenzi, that he hadn't made friends.

"Oh, please don't kill me Shenzi!" Fisadi whined, "You're not like me; you wouldn't kill another hyena, would you?"

"Now that's LOW, Fisadi," Afisa spoke up, "Appealing to another hyena's sense of honour when you have none? Real low."

Shenzi smirked, looking Fisadi in the eyes, "Don't worry, I know exactly what to do," she told the watching hyenas, "You'll live, Fisadi."

"Oh, thank GOD," Fisadi sighed, "Thank you, Shenzi, I'll do anything you- ARGH!"

Shenzi had just lunged forward and sank her sharp teeth into Fisadi's right ear until they met, ripping out a hunk of skin, "That for your cowardice!" she barked at him.

The hyenas all set up an excited howling at Fisadi, who was shrieking in pain with blood pouring from his ear. He started to back away hurriedly, blood dripping onto the stone.

Shenzi lunged again, slashing her claws across his face and gouging three deep scars in his snout, "That for your lies!" she shouted. The howling became louder, and now the pack was advancing on Fisadi. He continued to back away.

"You... you're banishing me?" he wailed, "You can't just- EEE-OW!"

Shenzi had lunged again, biting his leg savagely, "That for your journey, every step of the way!" she told him as he limped, frantically backing away.

"But where will I go? What will I do?" Fisadi wailed, bleeding badly.

"You know what, Fisadi?" Shenzi drew herself up regally, "Frankly, I don't give a damn. You'll leave today, and you'll never come back, on pain of death. You can find some other clan, if they'll take you. Or you can team up with some outcasts if you need to. Hell, you can hunt on your own for the rest of your miserable life, if you please. But you can't come back here."

"But I'll die out there alone!" Fisadi wailed, "Mercy!"

"Never!" Shenzi barked. She couldn't take back her order now. And she didn't want to, anyway, "Out! Out! Out!"

The other hyenas took up the bark, and as one, the pack began to chase Fisadi; not with intent to kill, but with intent to chase him out of the Graveyard. Fisadi ran for it.

* * *

"Well, that's the garbage disposed of," Shenzi said confidently as she stood on the edge of the Pride Lands and watched Fisadi flee. Most of the hyenas had only chased him half-way, but she had chased him all the way out. If she never saw him again, it would be too soon, "Time to get down to the business of running the pack."

"You gonna pick an Alpha Male now?" Afisa asked her. The new SIC was busy trying to get into her good books – not that Shenzi blamed her for that, "I know a few males who are actually decent-"

"No, not right now," Shenzi replied, "I think I'll take a little break from males. Figure I'll have enough of them coming after me now I'm Matriarch anyway."

"All the more for me then," Afisa grinned. She'd have quite a few after her too, considering her shiny new rank.

"Your loss!" Shenzi told her. The two females burst into howls of laughter.

"Ahem. Excuse me?"

Shenzi looked up to see a self-important looking hornbill on a tree branch, "Who are you?" she asked him rudely.

"I sir, am looking for the new Matriarch."

Shenzi scowled, "And you're looking at _her_," she informed him.

Zazu's look of horror was unforgettable. He'd just insulted the ruler of the Graveyard Pack to her face. The smile now crossing her features would haunt him in his nightmares for a long time. She wasn't going to forget this, "Ahem... that is..."

"Now, you were about to tell me who you are and why you're here," Shenzi prompted.

"I am King Mufasa's major-domo," Zazu informed her, "Here to request a peaceable audience with you, the Matriarch, in order to discuss a new peace treaty between the hyenas and the lions."

"Hmmm... Afisa, remind me what Ahadi's treaty with my mother was?" Shenzi asked Afisa.

"Didn't it go something like, as long as we starved to death in the Graveyard with its lack of food and water, the lions wouldn't enter our territory?" Afisa grinned.

"What a deal!" Shenzi agreed, and started to laugh, eventually grinding to a halt and looking up again, "Well, _I'm_ Matriarch now. _I'm_ going to do what _I_ think is best for _my_ clan. The old treaties died with my mother, little major-dodo. You can flutter on back to your boss and tell him that. Or you can stick around for dinner, if you'd prefer."

"You're sure you don't want to talk?" Zazu asked hopefully, "It's always worth talking."

"Not when you always get the arse-end of the deal," Shenzi told him. Zazu opened his mouth, but was interrupted, "Goodbye."

Shenzi and Afisa turned their backs on Zazu abruptly, walking back into the Graveyard. Zazu sighed and shook his head. This was not going to go down well.

* * *

"Fisadi's GONE! AWESOMENESS!" Banzai almost screamed, laughing until he almost wept with joy.

Ed began to dance around and laugh at his brother's happiness, and for once Banzai didn't yell at him for it. Then he forgot why he was dancing, but didn't stop anyway. Was it just him... or was the laughter in his head getting louder?

"Now I've got a serious chance with Shenzi! I can get her! I can-"

"Hello again..." a smooth voice told them. Both brothers looked up sharply. Ed started giggling.

"Oh, hey Scar," Banzai grinned, "I s'pose you heard the howl last night? New Matriarch?" he saw the look on Scar's face, "You got anything for us, buddy? You know, like food? Somethin' good? I haven't eaten for eight hours!"

Scar looked down at the two males with barely-concealed revulsion even as Shenzi and Afisa walked back into the area, "Ah, it's the new Matriarch," he spoke to her. Lunatics, gluttonous fools, and ambitionless freeloaders, every one of them. But they were his to command just the same.

"What's this lion freak doing in our territory?" Afisa asked, snarling.

"Oh, sorry..." Shenzi pointed between Scar and Afisa, "Scar, Afisa. Afisa, Scar. Second In Command, Mufasa's brother. Mufasa's brother, Second In Command. I think that covers it."

"Congratulations on becoming the new Matriarch, Shenzi," he told her coolly.

"How did you know?" Shenzi asked him. She glared a little. Scar was sitting on her balcony.

Scar considered reminding Shenzi that she'd just told him she had a Second In Command, but decided not to bother. Mystery was an excellent inspiration for fear, and fear was a great method of control, "I have my ways," he shrugged and held up a large wildebeest haunch, "You don't really deserve this," he told them. Suddenly even the ruler of the pack was slobbering for the meat he held, "All you had to do was kill a lion cub."

"Well, that we can do," Shenzi caught control of herself sufficiently, "But then Mufasa turned up, and it was all, hey, what you gonna do?"

"You never told me you were pals with any lions," Afisa said, staring at the meat Scar held.

"I haven't told you lots of things," Shenzi informed her.

"If you hadn't let that little lioness cub and the bird escape she wouldn't have found Mufasa," Scar told them once again. He swung the meat from side to side, watching how their gaze followed it.

"You didn't tell us no lioness cub was gonna be there," Banzai pointed out, before getting a glare from Scar, who casually dropped the meat to them.

"It's a real shame you let her go, too," he commented as the hyenas gorged themselves, "You see, it was Nala's mother who killed your father. You couldn't have better revenge."

Banzai nearly choked on his mouthful, "HER mom did that?" he asked, before returning to eating.

"It matters very little," Scar told them, "I should tear the three of you apart for being such an abysmal failure," he watched them gulp with satisfaction.

"Hey, it wasn't Ed's fault," Shenzi pointed out, "He was kinda preoccupied with those termites. So there was only two of us to do it."

"Oh, well... I'll just have to engineer another plan," Scar rose slowly, "I will return in a few days. And so help me Shenzi, you and your goons had better not fail me again..."

The four of them watched him leave. Shenzi's expression grew sour. He knew she was in charge of the entire pack, and yet he still pushed her around like some kind of lackey! She turned away and headed back to her den.

"Hey, cool down Shenzi," Banzai followed her, leaving Ed and Afisa to continue chewing on the bone of the wildebeest, "I guess not all lions are so bad... I mean, it's free food!"

"But it's not respect!" Shenzi snapped at him, "I don't like the way he treats me. I'm in charge here; he's in _my_ territory. Who the hell does he think he is?"

"I dunno... King's brother?" Banzai asked. He stepped forward to that he was shoulder to shoulder with Shenzi. She was glaring at her feet, "For what it's worth, I respect you," he told her, "I've always respected you."

Shenzi sat down on her haunches, staring at the entrance to her den. Her huge, empty, den, "I know you respect me, Banzai," she told him, "You don't need to tell me so."

"Shenzi?" Banzai stood next to her quietly, "If you were attracted to a guy... I mean, are you attracted to any guys right now?"

Shenzi looked at him, "Banzai, I just barely escaped from that scumbag Fisadi. I'm not so stupid as to fall for another guy now!" she smiled, "But thanks for worrying anyway."

_Damn_, Banzai thought, _Why'd I have to confuse the word 'respect' with 'love'?_ "No, what I meant was..." he swallowed, "Shenzi? You know we've been friends for like, ages. You made sure I could take care of Ed, and you never cared that I'm practically a nobody..."

"Well, you're my best friend, Banzai," Shenzi told him, "And now that I'm Matriarch, your ranking just went up a few notches." She stood up and walked into her den, glancing back at him as she entered, with a friendly grin.

"Yeah..." Banzai muttered, managing to flash a grin at her, "Best friend..."

He turned away again with a sigh, heading back to his brother.

* * *

Shenzi wandered to the edge of the Elephant Graveyard, "Oh mom... I just wish you could have seen my victory..." she said softly, "But then, if you could see this, the whole battle wouldn't have taken place and... whatever..."

She lay down and stared across the Pride Lands... those lands she fully intended to one day have for herself and her people. Even becoming Matriarch didn't soften the very recent pain of losing her mother, and the shame she felt for being tricked by Fisadi.

"Shenzi..."

"Huh?" Shenzi looked up sharply. The clouds were forming. Just like in her dream, except she was awake... right? She pinched herself, "Ouch! Who's there?"

"Shenzi, I _have_ seen your victory," Kiruu told her daughter, "I've been watching you all this time, from the very moment I passed away."

Shenzi stared up. She was awake. And the moon and stars lit up the forming image of Kiruu, Matriarch of the North Clan, and leader through the Great Drought. But somehow it was an infinitely more beautiful image than it had been when she had merely been dreaming.

"Mother?" Shenzi gasped, "This... this can't be real... This has to be another dream!" she pinched herself again, "Ow!" The image in the sky remained stubbornly where it was. Not Kiruu as she had last seen her, lying deathly still in her cave, or even Kiruu as she remembered her alive and in her dreams, with greying patches and a dismal, tired look.

No, this was Kiruu as she had been when Shenzi was very young and her grandmother was still Matriarch; this was Kiruu glowing with a power and a strength and a pride that had brought her swaggering to the position of Alpha. It was a strength no other hyena in the pack had commanded. She was a Matriarch from her angled hunch to her four paws. And yet even more beautiful than that; she somehow glowed with a beauty that no living creature could achieve.

"This is real," Kiruu told her, "This is important. I have come to give you the advice I had not the time to give you when we were together."

"You've come to give me _more_ lessons?" Shenzi realised she was weeping with the realisation that this was no dream; this was really her dead mother looking down at her, but not dead; somehow she was more alive than she had ever been before, "But... there's so many other things I want to ask you!"

"The important things first," Kiruu admonished her daughter, "You are the Matriarch. But that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want."

"I don't understand..." Shenzi managed.

"Remember who you are," Kiruu told her, "You are no longer the same person you were when I lived..."

"How can that be?" Shenzi asked her mother, gazing up at the night sky, "How can I not be the same person I was yesterday?"

"You have changed much, but you will change more. You will change all your life. All things are subject to change," Kiruu told her, "You have become Matriarch, but you will become more than that. You are the strongest of all my children. And you must always be the strongest. You must always do what is right for the Clan, no matter what the consequences may be for yourself..."

"But mother..."

"Remember who you are, Shenzi," Kiruu commanded her, "You are the one true Matriarch. You are the Alpha Female. You are the Mother of the Clan, and they are your children. You must treat them as such, from the oldest female to the youngest male cub. You must lead them from this moment, to the day you die. That is Clan Law."

"Clan Law?" Shenzi asked, confused.

"The Matriarch's bound by the law, for it's the law that makes her a Matriarch," Kiruu told her daughter, "No matter what, you must command the respect of your Clan, and that can only be done by following and enforcing Clan Law."

"But a Matriarch can do what she wants!" Shenzi hesitated, "Right?"

"I must tell you what my mother told me," Kiruu told her, "Respect is the most important thing in the world. If you don't got respect, you don't got nothing..."

"Respect?" Shenzi realised tears were pouring down her face, "Mother?"

"_The_ most important thing," Kiruu repeated, "Remember to command respect, remember to follow Clan Law, remember who you are, and remember what you must become..."

Shenzi could have sworn that she felt the softest of kisses on her forehead, as light as the wind, even as Kiruu's voice and shape started to fade.

"No! Mother!" Shenzi pleaded, "Where are you going?"

"Where I can watch over all my children... until we can be together again..." Kiruu whispered softly, her beautiful image breaking up, once again becoming clouds.

"But mother... there's so much about leadership that I don't know!" Shenzi pleaded with the fading clouds, "There's so much I have to ask you!"

"No, my most precious child..." Kiruu replied softly, "There is so much about leadership... that you must remember..."

Shenzi stared after the retreating clouds, tears pouring down her face, "Remember what?" she asked.

"Leadership is in our blood, Shenzi..." Kiruu told her, "Remember..."

"Mother!" Shenzi chased the fading image, not caring that she was entering the Pride Lands, "Don't leave me!"

"Remember..." Kiruu whispered.

"MOTHER!" Shenzi screamed at the clouds.

"Remember..."

* * *

Breech: Yeah, kind of a rip of the big Mufasa scene but hey, hyenas do it differently.


	15. International Incident

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: Sorry about the wait. This chapter is closely based around the Elephant Graveyard scene. So closely in fact, that you'd be hard-pressed to pry them apart with an ice-pick. Don't worry though – there's plenty I've got planned before this story ends yet.

Confused Matthew can hate The Lion King all he wants but he was right about one thing – that was one HELL of an International Incident Simba almost caused by running into the Elephant Graveyard.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: International Incident

Several weeks passed. As the new Matriarch, Shenzi was diving head-first into her new job. She was already getting her reputation among the pack for being stronger and smarter than her mother, Kiruu. All of the hunts so far had ended well – by 'ended well', that meant 'nobody had been killed'. You couldn't expect every hunting party to bring back a whole wildebeest.

There was some debate over whether she was actually meaner than Kiruu, or whether that was just because Kiruu had become increasingly lazy in her old age. Either way, Shenzi ran a tight ship. On the other hand, when she went out hunting, Afisa was in charge, and Afisa ran an even _tighter_ ship.

Shenzi didn't seem to be in a hurry to pick out a mate. But everybody generally agreed that there was plenty of time for that. Shenzi was still young, even if she had matured sexually. She had her paws full enough with adjusting to running the pack, without becoming a mother right now.

And Scar was becoming a regular visitor to the Elephant Graveyard.

"Ah, Shenzi, my dear," he told the young Matriarch. How useful that she had won the Trials. Now she would be Matriarch. The commander of a great, if exceedingly ugly, army. And she would be very useful to him, "How wonderful to see you again. You are looking... lovely."

Shenzi flushed, glad that there were no other hyenas around to hear that, "Oh, come on," she said weakly, "You're a lion. You wouldn't think that."

"Come now," Scar grinned, "Normal lions aren't friends with hyenas either," he dropped a zebra haunch at her feet, and she started to eat. He'd been practicing this, "Now, you may have failed that last little assignment I gave you, but I have forgiven you."

"Thanks," Shenzi mumbled, her mouth full of meat. She looked up at Scar. She figured that if hyenas looked like lions, they'd look like Scar. He was the only decent lion she knew.

"Now my dear, let's take a look at you," Scar tilted her chin up to look at her. Her cheeks were bulging with meat, and blood was running down her muzzle. And she was a hyena, of course. But he had been working on using her power for his own for some time, "Perfect. Just perfect."

Shenzi started to flush again. Scar had complimented her many times and at first she had been cautious, concerned that he was just like Fisadi, but he was a lion, and couldn't control her. So it couldn't have anything to do with that.

"You, Shenzi, are my greatest friend," Scar told her, smiling, "Your cunning matches mine. We make the most magnificent team."

Shenzi managed to swallow the lump of meat in her mouth, "Uh-huh..." she managed, as Scar kept her from looking away.

"If I could become king of the Pride Lands, you, Shenzi, would be like a queen," Scar told her slyly, "You wouldn't merely command this army of hyenas, but the lionesses would also answer to you."

Shenzi was smarter than most hyenas, but she still thought you could get something for nothing, "Ooooh..." she said, her face lighting up.

Scar almost laughed. Shenzi as his queen? The very idea disgusted him. But he looped a foreleg around her shoulders and pulled her close like a pal, concealing his feeling of distaste, "Prince Simba is the main obstacle to my position as king," he told her, "But... I know just how to deal with that."

"Yeah, you kill him, right?" Shenzi asked.

"Wrong, my dear," Scar smirked, "_You_ will kill him."

"But, uh... Scar, if I go and kill Simba, Mufasa will be really pissed. I don't wanna cause an international incident here-" Shenzi started.

"Don't worry, Shenzi," Scar smirked, "I wouldn't put my favourite hyena at risk. Simba often comes to talk to me about childish things. I will work the Elephant Graveyard into the conversation. I will tell him it's forbidden to come here."

"So then what happens?" Shenzi asked.

"He'll come here, of course," Scar told her, "The forbidden is always fascinating to the young. Why, if somebody put a sign on a lever in a far-off cave saying, 'End Of The World Lever: Do Not Touch', the paint wouldn't have time to dry. And when he does come here..."

"We kill him?" Shenzi asked him.

"Oh, nothing gets past you, Shenzi my dear," Scar grinned at her sardonically, "You'd be perfectly within your rights, since he'd be trespassing. Mufasa wouldn't be able to punish you for it, since it would happen here." He wasn't so sure about that, but the fate of a handful of hyenas mattered little to him.

Shenzi licked her lips at the thought, "Okay, I'll get Banzai and Ed, and we'll sort it right out..."

"That's a girl," Scar told her smoothly, patting her cheek, "Now, I'm afraid I have a prior engagement... and it fills me with regret to leave your most delightful company... But I'm sure you can arrange all this fun with your friends by yourself... and as for Simba-"

"The brat's as good as dead," Shenzi grinned, "I won't fail you, Scar."

* * *

The next day was bright and sunny. Banzai was in a great mood. Shenzi had explained everything to him, then gotten him to repeat it back to her to ensure he understood. They were gonna get to kill lion cubs. It was his favourite thing to do, or would have been if he got to do it more often.

Ed was, as usual, in a good mood. According to the voices in his head, it was a good day to laugh, so he did so, constantly bursting into laughter, gurgling and blathering senselessly.

Shenzi grinned to herself. This time, nothing would go wrong; she'd make sure of it. This time her pal Scar would see just what she was capable of. This wasn't following orders. This made perfect sense, because they were going to get a free meal out of it.

"Now remember, this time we don't let anybody go," Shenzi reminded Banzai.

"Yeah, whatever," Banzai grinned, following her into a strategic bull-elephant's skull that they could all fit into easily, "So how long do you think we'll have to wait?" he asked as the three of them entered.

"That lion brat will have to come this way if he wants to 'play' here," Shenzi replied, "Even if he doesn't pass this way, we'll hear him if he's anywhere in the area."

"Yeah, but how long will we have to wait?" Banzai asked again, "I'm _hungry_."

Shenzi rolled her eyes and settled down, "We'll wait until sunset," she told him, "If the brat hasn't come by then, we'll never catch him in the dark."

Banzai settled down next to her, shifting so that his side was pressed lightly against hers. She didn't protest, so he maintained his position, feeling them both breathing together and wishing as ever that they could be closer than that.

It was some hours later when Shenzi was awoken by voices outside the skull. She listened for a moment, then elbowed Banzai sharply to wake him up.

"Wake up, they're here, dummy!" she hissed at him.

Banzai didn't appreciate being called 'dummy' but elbowed Ed to wake him up anyway.

"Danger? HA! I laugh in the face of danger! Ha ha ha ha!" their target declared. Right outside the skull. How perfect.

Ed couldn't help himself. As soon as Simba laughed mockingly, he burst into peals of uncontrollable laughter himself. Shenzi and Banzai joined in with him. Inside the skull it sounded impressive. Banzai and Ed crawled out of the eye sockets, while Shenzi crawled out of the mouth with a smirk, taking the lead.

"Well, well, well, Banzai, what have we got here?" she asked Banzai, pretending to be surprised, and putting on her 'friendly' tone.

"Hmmm, I dunno Shenzi," Banzai smirked and turned a little, "What do you think, Ed?"

Ed could only laugh and gurgle at whatever it was that the voices told him was funny right now.

"Yeah, just what I was thinkin'," Banzai grinned, leaning in nastily, "A trio of _trespassers!_"

"And quite by accident, let me assure you," Zazu gabbled, "A simple navigational error..."

Ooooh, so Zazu was there too? This was too good. Shenzi stepped on his tail feathers, "Woah, woah, wait, wait, wait, I know you," she grinned, leaning in, "You're Mufasa's little _stooge_."

Zazu pushed her paw away distastefully, "I, madam, am the king's major-domo."

The three of them started circling the cubs and Zazu, "And that would make you..?" Banzai asked, as if he didn't already know.

"The future king," Simba told him, as if they gave a shit.

"Do you know what we _do_ to kings who step outta their kingdoms?" Shenzi asked him with a smirk.

"Puh. You can't do anything to me," Simba told them. Shenzi's grin only became wider at that highly inaccurate statement.

"Heh. Technically they can," Zazu informed Simba, "We are on their land..."

"But Zazu," Simba protested, "You told me they're nothing but slobbering mangy stupid poachers."

Zazu swallowed, "Ix-nay on the oopid-stay..." he whispered to Simba.

Unfortunately, Banzai heard him, "Who you calling 'oopid-stay'?" he snarled. Shenzi rolled her eyes.

"Oh, my, my, my, look at the sun! It's time to go!" Zazu tried to hustle the cubs away.

Shenzi blocked all three of them easily, "What's the hurry?" she asked, grinning widely, "We'd _love_ for you to stick around for dinner."

"Yeah," Banzai cheered up, "We could have whatever's... lion around! Get it? LION AROUND!" he burst into peals of laughter.

"Hey, wait, wait, wait, I got one, I got one!" Shenzi laughed, "Make mine a 'cub' sandwich! Whaddaya think?" She laughed, clutching her stomach. For once, Ed was the only one not laughing. He suddenly broke her good humour, leaping up, jabbering and pointing, "_What_, Ed? What is it?"

Banzai's gaze followed the general direction of Ed's pointing, "Hey, did we order this dinner to go?" he asked.

"No. Why?" Shenzi asked.

"'Cause THERE IT GOES!" Banzai yelled, pointing in the direction of two fleeing cubs and a bird.

"Get 'em!" Shenzi yelled, and the three of them gave chase. But the cubs had too good a head-start, and soon they'd lost the brats, "Damn! We gotta quit chasing them and make them come to us!" she snarled, "And I know just who to use for bait..."

Zazu had become separated from the cubs. He was on his own. He needed to fly to Pride Rock, warn Mufasa, and save the cubs; there was nothing he could do for them on his own- "AWK!" he shouted as Banzai grabbed his feathers.

"Sirs - and madam–" Zazu pleaded to them as they pulled him towards a hot spot, "I know we've had our confusions in the past-"

"Last time we met, you called me 'sir' in front of my Second In Command," Shenzi sneered, "That's a confusion I'm not gonna live down for a good long time."

"Hey, you insulted a lady?" Banzai growled at Zazu.

"A petty and miniscule mistake never to be made again!" Zazu insisted, resisting the urge to say 'that's no lady'.

"Damn right it won't," Banzai sneered.

Ed giggled, then nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Damn right, Ed!" Banzai sniggered, "He's just caused one of the worst International Incidents since Ahadi was king! Those things fucking ROCK! It is THE best reason for hunting in the Pride Lands EVER!"

Shenzi grinned, "You know what the dumbass thing is? You're supposed to be adviser to the king! I couldn't have planned this little fuck-up better in a month of Sundays!"

"And the little major-domo bird hippity-hops his way all the way to the birdie boiler..." Banzai stuffed Zazu into the geyser hard, blocking it up.

"Oh, no, not the birdie-boil-AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Zazu screamed as he was launched several hundred feet in the air. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed burst into laughter all over again. They had totally forgotten what Scar had said about not letting anybody get away. Even if they had, so what? It was just a bird. Shenzi laughed so hard she got a cramp in her side, and had to catch hold of Banzai for support.

"Hey!" they looked up to see Simba, who had obviously taken the bait, "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" he asked, as if he was intimidating them.

Shenzi grinned. The arrogance of the little brat never ceased to entertain her, "Like... you?" she asked.

"Oops."

They lunged again at the cubs, chasing them. The cubs almost fell into an active methane vent, but the hyenas knew their way around the place like the back of their paws, and simply lunged in again.

"BOO!" they shouted, and the cubs shrieked and dodged just before Shenzi snapped at them again. The cubs managed to climb over the bull-elephant's skull, barely dodging Banzai's snapping teeth, and slipped onto the spinal column that hyena cubs sometimes liked to slide down, taking a rapid ride away, hitting a huge pile of bones across the hollow.

"Faster, damn your hides!" Shenzi commanded Banzai and Ed. Now she was in the lead, and she could see one of the cubs slipping down the bones and screaming. Ravening for the first bite, she charged up- and took a slash to the cheek from Simba. The shock of something so small fighting back froze her for a second, during which Simba and Nala raced away. Banzai and Ed caught up in that moment, and Banzai looked at the three cuts on her cheek, angry and concerned.

"Shenzi, are you okay-" he started.

Shenzi looked up as the cubs fled over the ridge, blood trickling down her cheek, "Kill. Them," she growled, her voice full of cold rage.

It helped that the two brats had fled into a dead end. With emphasis on the 'dead'. Trying to get out, they had fallen into a young elephant's ribcage, and were totally trapped.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty," Banzai taunted nastily. On Shenzi's other side, Ed gurgled and drooled. He wasn't sure why they had chased the cubs, but the game had sure been fun...

Simba stood in front of the other cub, and gave a pitiful little mewl, as if it would make them scared. Despite how much her cheek was hurting, Shenzi managed a grin at that, "Oh... that was it?" she sneered, "Do it again... thrill me..."

Simba opened his mouth and... ROARED?

"Huh?" Then a huge paw slammed into the three hyenas. The king had come for his son.

They all fought, getting scratches and bites as they did so, but they had been taken by surprise, and they had no chance against the fully-grown lion king. Banzai took several hits to the ass, and Shenzi was slammed briefly against a rock, and to make it worse, it was her cut cheek that took the blow. It wasn't long before the three of them were cringing, terrified, under Mufasa.

"Oh, please, please," Shenzi moaned, "Uncle. Uncle!" Next to her, Banzai was trying to dodge the last few blows and whimpering.

"_Silence!"_ Mufasa bellowed.

"Oh, we're gonna shut up right now," Banzai promised desperately.

"Calm down. We're really sorry!" Shenzi begged.

Mufasa looked down at the hyena Matriarch and her cohorts. He could not kill them; it would incite war with the hyenas. But he had no intention of simply letting them walk away, "If you _ever_ come near my son again..." he growled.

Shenzi and Banzai looked at each other, "Oh this is... this is _your_ son?" "Oh, your son?" "Did you know that?" "No... me? I-I-I didn't know it. No. Did you?" "_No!_ Of course not!" "No."

Their noses pressed together briefly as they suddenly realised they were only providing two-thirds of the excuses, and glanced at Ed, "Ed?"

Ed grinned and nodded until his head rattled.

Mufasa released a huge roar of rage. Shenzi and Ed clutched at each other in abject terror, while Banzai cowered in dread.

"Toodles!" he grinned wretchedly. Then the three of them fled so quickly that there was almost an audible gunshot.

* * *

Breech: There we go. Next chapter, everybody sings Be Prepared. Only they don't. Well, anyway... Read and Review!


	16. Be Prepared

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

* * *

Breech: This may be the 'Be Prepared' chapter, but you know, I don't feel like choreographing the entire song. It's not like with Timon's song where the hyenas watched him fantasising. It's just too much work to do a song like 'Be Prepared' with crap exploding all over the place. Just watch it on Youtube or go watch the movie again or something.

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: Be Prepared

It was not long after the hyenas had failed to kill Simba, and Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were now tending to their wounds.

Shenzi nursed her cheek carefully. The pain had faded - unless of course it was aggravated. But the sting was still there – the sting that such a small thing dared to strike back at her. Mufasa, damn his hide, was one thing. But that the tiny cub Simba dared turn back to swipe at her was a sting indeed. She would have very much liked some unrequested comfort from Banzai, or even Ed, but they were preoccupied with their own injuries.

Banzai seemed to have taken the worst trouncing, and was nursing the deep scratches on his ass. To say that it was sore was nothing. He tried to sit down, winced, and tried to sit down in a different position. The failure to avoid pain was similar.

Ed was covered in bruises. He didn't seem to notice his own pain though. He stared at Banzai, who was trying to find a position to sit in that didn't hurt, and started to giggle.

"Man, that lousy Mufasa," Banzai said loudly, angling for some pity, "I won't be able to sit for a month!" Shenzi ignored him. Ed, on the other hand, started to laugh even louder. Banzai glared at his brother, "It's _not funny,_ Ed."

Ed covered his mouth with both paws in an attempt to quiet himself. It was a magnificent failure; he burst out even louder after just a few seconds.

"Hey, shut up!" Banzai ordered him. It hardly surprised him that his brother was incapable of stopping himself, but it was still infuriating. Ed was descending into hysterics. Finally, Banzai growled, and leapt at him, indulging in another petty fight despite the pain.

Finally Shenzi looked up from her own musings, watching the brawl for a few seconds before she tired of it, "Will you knock it off?" she snapped at them both.

Banzai disentangled himself from Ed, who continued the fight all by himself, "Well he started it!" he returned, pointing at Ed, who was even now chewing industriously on his own leg.

Shenzi rolled her eyes. Banzai was older than her, but he still acted like a real baby sometimes, "Look at you guys," she scolded, feeling more like a mother than ever, "If it weren't for me, you'd be dangling at the bottom of the food chain!"

"Man, I hate dangling!" Banzai whined.

Shenzi wandered back down to their level again, bored and sore, "You know, if it weren't for those lions, _we'd_ be running the joint," she sulked. Behind Banzai, Ed had regained some semblance of lucidity, and was nodding sagely.

"Man, I hate lions!" Banzai complained as usual.

"So pushy," Shenzi leaned in.

"And hairy," Banzai grinned, sidling a little closer.

"And stinky."

"And man are they..."

"UUUUU-guh-ley!" they chorused, before breaking into laughter together. Banzai allowed himself to breathe in Shenzi's scent for a few seconds – for a moment they had just been _that_ close. He wanted them to always be close, always be together, always-

"Oh, surely we lions are not all that bad?" a smooth voice asked them from above, and they looked up with a sharp gasp.

"Oh, Scar, it's just you," Banzai told him, relieved.

"Yeah, we were afraid it was somebody important," Shenzi joked.

"Indeed," Scar said dryly. If Shenzi knew she'd insulted him, and she probably did, then she didn't care.

"You know, like Mufasa," Banzai supplied, and Shenzi nodded, "Now _that's_ power."

"Tell me about it," Shenzi smirked, "I just hear that name and I _shudder_."

Banzai grinned, taking the opportunity, "Mufasa," he told her.

"Ooooooh..." Shenzi shivered, then poked Banzai, "Do it again..."

"Mu_fasa_," Banzai repeated, and Shenzi gave another shiver, "Mufasa, Mufasa, Mufasa!" All three of them burst into laughter, with Ed rolling around on the floor.

"It tingles me," Shenzi snickered.

"I'm _surrounded_ by idiots," Scar groaned, rubbing his head theatrically.

"Not you, Scar, you're one of us!" Banzai insisted, gesturing at Shenzi and Ed. Ed was dealing with his fleas and Shenzi was too busy investigating her butt to notice the insult, "You're our buddy, our pal!"

"Charmed," Scar told him, sneering at the trio.

Shenzi looked up from her investigations, "Ooh, I like that," she grinned, missing the sarcasm, "He's not king, but he's still so proper."

"Yeah," Banzai grinned, "Hey, did you bring us anything to eat, Scar, old buddy old pal, huh, didja didja didja?" he practically begged.

Scar scowled. At least Shenzi displayed some dignity, even if her intelligence was still sub-par. Well... she didn't _always_ display dignity... "I don't think you really deserve this," he told them, holding up a zebra haunch. All three were instantly begging and drooling. He sneered, dropping the meat to them, "I practically gift-wrapped those cubs for you, and you couldn't even dispose of them."

Shenzi hadn't eaten all day. She lunged and started gorging herself on the meat, along with Banzai and Ed, "Well you know," she managed, her mouth full and dripping raw flesh, "It wasn't exactly like they was alone, Scar..." she went back to eating.

"Yeah," Banzai managed to look up briefly, "What were we supposed to do?" he swallowed a mouthful, "Kill Mufasa?"

Scar just smirked, "Precisely," he told them. That got their attention. Then he pounced, scattering them. He approached Ed slowly, who had managed to get the bone now...

* * *

One exceedingly well choreographed explanation of an evil plot later, Scar gestured Shenzi and Banzai – and therefore Ed – closer.

"Tomorrow afternoon I will bring Simba down into the gorge," he told them, "The wildebeest herd has been grazing nearby these past few weeks. When I signal you, the three of you will start a stampede among the herd, steering the wildebeest into the gorge."

"And the right royal brat will be trampled to death!" Shenzi grinned hugely.

"Not just him," Scar corrected her, "I will alert Mufasa to the stampede, and he will of course come to save Simba."

"But I thought you _wanted_ Simba to die-" Banzai started.

"He WILL die, you idiot!" Scar growled, "Even if Mufasa manages to rescue the little brat, I will be watching from the sidelines, to make sure that he does not leave that gorge alive. You three will come down to the gorge and finish off any... minor details."

"Gotcha," Shenzi told him.

"And you _will_ wait for my signal, my dear," Scar reminded her, "The plan depends on it. Do not start the stampede until I am also in place."

"I'll make sure of it," Shenzi agreed.

"Afterwards, you'll gather the North Clan and bring them into the Pride Lands," Scar told her, "I'll need your numbers to ensure that nobody goes around questioning my authority. If any lions come to challenge my authority you'll deal with them too. In return, you'll get to hunt whatever you want, as much as you want."

Shenzi grinned and nodded, "Long live the king," she returned.

"Good girl," Scar told her, gripping her injured cheek again and squeezing, watching her wince and bristle slightly from the condescending treatment, "But remember, if the plan goes wrong... you will be the ones to blame. So... it had better not go wrong, had it?"

All three hyenas gulped. Scar turned his back on them and walked away calmly, leaving the Elephant Graveyard.

Banzai shivered as he watched Scar go, "Man but he's a creepy bastard," he commented, mostly to Ed, "But a free meal is a free meal, right? Maybe more than one."

Shenzi scowled and rubbed her cheek, "Ow," she complained, then stood up and headed back towards her den.

Banzai returned his attention to her, following and leaving Ed to chew the bone, "Does your cheek still hurt?" he asked her finally.

"Well duh, it's been abused all night," Shenzi replied, "First that brat prince, then Mufasa, then- oh!" she stopped short when Banzai gave her cheek a slow lick.

"Does it feel better now?" he asked her, grinning hopefully and hoping he wouldn't catch a punch.

To her mortification, Shenzi started to blush. Despite Scar's recent song about Being Prepared, nothing could have prepared her for that, "A little," she said after a moment, before she continued walking, but slowly enough to allow Banzai to keep up easily.

He licked her cheek again, "And now?"

Shenzi was still blushing. She didn't speak until they reached the entrance to her den, "Banzai..." she swallowed, "Is there... something you want to tell me?"

"Shenzi..." Banzai blushed and licked her cheek again, "We're friends, right?" he didn't wait for an answer, "Except I'd rather we weren't _just_ friends..." he whispered.

Shenzi blushed more deeply than ever, all the way to her ears, stirring the dirt with one paw.

Banzai regretted his words already, feeling like he'd messed up, put it badly, or ruined everything, "You hate me now, don't you?" he asked her.

"Banzai, I... I only hate you for not telling me sooner," Shenzi remained flushed.

"I... I would have," Banzai told her, "But I couldn't bear the idea that you would turn me down... 'cus I'm a loser, you know. And I felt like a coward for not telling you, so I kept getting into fights to try and prove I'm not a coward... to try to get rid of the feeling..."

"But it never went away," Shenzi finished for him, "I... You're no coward, Banzai..."

"You really think that?" Banzai checked with her.

"Of course I do," Shenzi told him, then grinned, "Dumb as two rocks, yes... but not a coward."

Banzai was about to glare, when he stopped, and grinned back as he realised it was just a joke, "Well, I don't _need_ to think if I've got you here, always telling me what to do," he retorted. Then his face fell, "I... Shenzi, I..."

"Banzai," Shenzi pointed out, "My cheek still hurts." She presented her cheek to him again.

Banzai leant forward and licked her sore cheek again. Then he moved in a little closer, licking her other cheek, this time his tongue moving lightly over her lips too. This time, Shenzi nuzzled his cheek, hooking one foreleg over his shoulders lightly. Banzai began to lick her neck, pressing forward a little more with each 'kiss'. Then he hesitated.

"Shenzi..." he murmured, his lips against her neck, "I've dreamed about telling you how I feel for so long... that I'm afraid this might be a dream too..."

"Banzai, it's no dream," Shenzi assured him, "I... Oh, Banzai, I feel like I don't know anything, except that..." she whispered, rubbing her neck against his, "...this is real. And it feels... right."

"Shenzi," Banzai swallowed, licking her again, "I don't know how far..."

"Banzai... I'll let you know," Shenzi whispered in his ear.

With her permission, Banzai continued to lick her neck, each kiss becoming more passionate, and leant forward until Shenzi was on her back, continuing to kiss her cheeks, lips, and neck. Shenzi stroked his hunch gently. He sighed happily, "I could lie like this with you forever," he told her.

Shenzi just licked his cheek slowly before relaxing back on the dirt. Banzai looked at her, almost surprised at the action, before he saw her easy smirk and half-shut eyes. He brushed her bangs out of her eyes with a paw, to look into her eyes with a smirk of his own. She pressed her nose against his lightly with a little smile, before pawing gently at his thick eyebrows and rubbing her cheek against his.

Without ceremony, Banzai rested his ear over Shenzi's chest, listening to her heartbeat and feeling the slow rise and fall of her ribcage. It was, in his opinion, the most beautiful thing he'd ever experienced.

After a while, they both fell asleep.

Together.

* * *

Breech: Spot the three seconds ripped off from "Can You Feel The Love Tonight". And it's not over yet! Next chapter is the Stampede! Man but that was tough to write.

Hey, hey, you know what else? This story just got recommended on TV Tropes! By somebody else! Not by me at all! So if Tambov333 is reading this chapter, I'd just like to say thankyou for him (or her) thinking the story is that good.


	17. To Die For

Before and Beyond the Beginning

By Breech Loader

Breech: I listened to the score "To Die For" and "Run Away" while sorting out this. OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I mean, the hyenas were in the stampede too. It could well have been dangerous for them as well. So, why the hell not?

Chapter Seventeen: To Die For

When Banzai woke up, Shenzi was still asleep right next to him, her breathing as slow and calm as it had been hours ago. He was still lying on her; she hadn't pushed him off. He gazed at her beautiful features. They hadn't mated at all last night, but for now, being so close to her was enough. And there was now a marvellous possibility of him getting between her thighs. She knew he wanted her, and she didn't hate him.

He nuzzled her cheek, to see if it would wake her up, then brushed her bangs out of her eyes. That, combined with the rising sun, seemed to be waking her up. She looked up at him, some surprise on her face that he was still there.

"Banzai?" she asked him.

He just grinned at her. After a moment, she grinned back, and kicked him off her gently.

"So, uh..." he kept grinning and tried to move in close, "What's up for today?"

Shenzi smiled dryly at him, "We've got some wildebeest to hunt," she told him, "And I've got a pack to run." she got up, "Go find Ed. He'll come in handy."

Banzai was about to leave the den when he stopped, "Shenzi, I... last night, we spent all that time together and I wanted to..."

Shenzi grinned back at him, trying to suppress her deep flush of embarrassment, "Banzai, just go get Ed. I've got lots of work to be getting on with."

Banzai gave in and went to find Ed. It wasn't hard; when left to his own devices Ed would always go home. Maybe he shouldn't have left him alone to be with Shenzi... but then, he hadn't left him alone, had he? He'd just left him with Afisa. No problems there; Afisa wouldn't let any actual harm come to-

"ARGH!" Banzai yelled as Ed pounced him hard.

Then the deranged hyena started laughing at him, looking down and batting his eyes, before giving him a huge, doggy lick over the face.

"Ed!" Banzai protested, "Don't tell me you... watched?" Ed nodded until his teeth rattled, "That sort of crap is private! What if we'd been... well, you know..."

"Guh..." Ed grinned and shrugged, which Banzai guessed meant, "Well, you weren't."

"Ed... everybody knows you're 'special'," Banzai said finally, "Just how 'special' are you?" Ed sat there and giggled, "I mean, is it worth trying to get you a gal or not? Or will that scar you for life or something?"

There was an awkward silence. Banzai kicked Ed off him, "Well, let's find out," he said finally, and started walking to the dens where most of the females lived. As usual, Ed followed him, "When you look at those ladies, what do you think?" he asked.

Ed stared at the more-than-two ladies discussing techniques for training their cubs, and started to drool.

"Well, that's a start," Banzai stated, "Anything else?"

Shenzi smirked casually at Scar. Okay, so they'd failed yesterday, but that was because of Mufasa. And they'd gotten at least some meat out of it. Now she was sitting in front of him for the re-briefing. As usual, Scar was pulling his 'friendly' behaviour.

He wrapped a foreleg around Shenzi's shoulders. She wasn't entirely comfortable with it, but beggars couldn't be choosers, right? "Well, today is the day," he told her smoothly, "This day will either mark you in history as the hyena Matriarch who ruled beside the greatest Lion King ever... or condemn you to obscurity. How do you feel, my dear?"

"Like I'm gonna whup that little prince brat!" Shenzi grinned hugely, "I am so gonna tear him in half. I'm gonna rip off his-"

"Yes, yes," Scar interrupted, "And you look absolutely stunning," he smarmed, tilting her chin so that she had to look at him.

Shenzi had to keep reminding herself that Fisadi had acted very like Scar. But Fisadi hadn't been three times her size, and he hadn't had a voice like oiled grease either. She smirked a little, "And don't worry about Banzai or Ed acting up this time. I'll make sure they follow your orders."

"I know I can," Scar smirked, stroking her rough mane briefly, "Now... You see that ridge there?" he pointed out an overhanging rock, "You and your assistants-"

"Friends," Shenzi corrected him.

"Whatever," Scar waved his paw, "You will wait there for my signal. When you see me, you will start the stampede, guiding the wildebeest into the gorge. Once they're in the gorge, make your own way down there to meet me. Then you'll clean up any... loose ends."

"Like if somebody survives?" Shenzi asked.

"Nothing gets past you, my dear," Scar smirked as she started to turn away, "Oh, and Shenzi?" she turned back and he grabbed her by the throat, slamming her against a rock wall, "Failure will _not_ be tolerated this time. Do I make myself..." he squeezed her neck, "_clear?_"

"Yes! Very clear!" Shenzi grinned in terror and nodded, starting to wonder if this was such a great idea after all.

Scar dropped her, "Now I have to place Simba in position. Get the others and get in position yourself. Do not fail me."

"Yes, Scar," Shenzi replied, rubbing her neck, "I mean, no, Scar... I mean... You can count on me, Scar!" she grinned wildly. She headed back to the Graveyard.

It wasn't tough to find Banzai and Ed. Banzai was trying to get Ed a girl. Shenzi laughed at the sight, and strode in, catching Banzai by the ear, "Come on, Banzai," she chuckled, "We've got work to do." The females he had been chatting to looked up and started laughing at him. Right on cue, Ed started laughing too.

"Ow, ow, ow..." Banzai complained as she dragged him away. Ed looked up from whatever space his brain had been occupying, and ran after them like a playful hyena cub, giggling.

"Come on, I know where we've got to wait," she told Banzai, "Don't attack anything on the way; we don't want to attract anybody's attention."

Banzai followed her. Just looking at that huge herd of wildebeest made his stomach rumble. Shenzi managed to ignore it for a while, but it went on for so long that it was starting to make _her_ feel hungry.

*growl*

"Banzai, shut it up!" she told him.

"Aw, Shenzi, come on!" he whined, "There's gotta be a... a... loads of them over there," he pointed at the huge herd, "Nobody's gonna notice if I just grab one!"

"How many times do I gotta tell you, Banzai," Shenzi growled, "I'm in charge; I say when we go. Not Scar, not you, but me," Shenzi looked behind him, "See, Ed's not begging to ruin the plan. He's got some self-control."

Behind Banzai, Ed giggled quietly. There was a silence lasting about a minute, then, *growl*

"Shut up!" she told Banzai again.

"I can't help it!" Banzai whined, then jumped up, "I'm so hungry... I gotta have a wildebeest!"

"Stay. Put."

"But... can't I just pick off one of the little sick ones?" he pleaded.

"No!" Shenzi growled, "We wait for the signal from Scar." She didn't know what failure would result in, but it couldn't be pleasant. She saw Scar appear briefly over the ridge, "And there he is... Let's go."

They burst out from their place of concealment and drove the herd into a surprisingly well-choreographed panic towards the gorge.

Banzai was already enjoying himself. He hardly ever got to hunt for fun now that Mufasa was in charge. Only the occasional game of Meerkat Volleyball, which was frowned upon heavily in the Pride Lands.

"Chase 'em over the edge!" Shenzi shouted, snapping at a panicked wildebeest's heels, "And keep 'em together!"

The three of them were soon among the herd, causing more panic. They chased the wildebeest down the cliff face, and were guiding them along the gorge when suddenly Ed was caught by the hooves of a huge bull, knocking him aside. Suddenly, the big plan wasn't going quite as well as it had been.

"Ed!" Shenzi yelled. The earth shook with the pounding of thousands of hooves, and she couldn't see her friend - no, there he was! "Ed!" she shouted, spotting him jumping onto the back of a wildebeest, to keep himself out of their hooves. Then she took her first hit, a young buck catching her with its heels, knocking her away from Banzai, and straight into the center of the gorge and among the trampling hooves themselves.

Banzai was the first who managed to clamber out of the main trampling, panting, "Shenzi! Ed! Get out of there! You could be killed!" he shouted into the herd from his ledge of safety, hoping they could still hear him.

_Well done, Captain Obvious,_ Shenzi thought, but there was too much panic to really put any venom into it. Hooves kicked, horns aimed to gore all around her, and she had to dodge every movement. A huge bull wildebeest slammed straight into her, knocking all the breath out of her.

Ed managed to leap from back to back of several wildebeest, and scrabbled for the ledge. Banzai was able to drag him out of there with his claws, with his brother whimpering in pain every inch of the way. Then he scanned the herd again frantically to find Shenzi. But with so many charging bodies in the way, it was quite impossible to see her from here.

"Hell with it!" he snarled, and leapt in to find her.

Ed started screeching and jabbering in terror, as he watched Banzai leap into the flood of animals he had helped guide into a panic, in his search for Shenzi. The Matriarch herself was half paralysed with fear as she stared at the onrushing herd, dodging them as they came. Suddenly Banzai collided with her side, knocking her out of the way of a rearing bull just before its hooves crushed her.

"Banzai!" she cried out in relief.

"Shenzi! Get out of here! You have to get out! Somehow!" Banzai begged her as they both dodged the huge, onrushing stampede.

Shenzi braced herself, then leapt and grabbed the cliff face with her claws, but did not attempt to climb any higher, simply hanging on just out of reach of the hooves of the herd. Banzai backed himself into a crack in the gorge where the wildebeest couldn't go and would run right past. Ed covered his eyes with his paws and whimpered, as if that would make them go away. The three of them waited, shaking, until the last of the wildebeest had passed by, and finally relaxed.

Shenzi dropped herself the less-than-ten feet to the gorge floor, and landed on her feet with a soft grunt, gasping with the adrenaline rush, trying not to show how much her ribs were aching from the hits she'd taken. She'd be fine. Ed jumped down from his ledge and landed beside her, panting softly.

"Uh, guys?" Banzai called from his crack, realising he was stuck. Shenzi and Ed both grabbed hold of him and pulled until he came out, "Thanks..."

"Well, that went as well as could be expected," Shenzi commented, shaking some dust out of her rough fur, "We're all still alive."

"Now what?" Banzai asked her.

"Now we find Scar, and tie up any loose ends," Shenzi told him, "He'll be in the gorge somewhere... But don't make any noise, got it?" The three hyenas walked down the gorge slowly and calmly, following the direction the herd of wildebeest had flowed in.

There was a last stray wildebeest. Shenzi stopped Banzai from chasing it, and let it go, as they trotted calmly down the gorge. There were more important things to worry about. Then Shenzi heard an almost beautiful sound echoing off the walls of the gorge.

"HELP!" it was the brat's voice. Damn! He'd survived. But he didn't sound happy... "SOMEBODY! ...Anybody! ...Help..."

So that was the direction they took. Soon enough they saw Scar, approaching and talking to the lion brat, hugging him, as if he _cared _about the broken body of Mufasa just lying there_._ Shenzi held Banzai and Ed back from leaping forward again. This was Scar's call.

"Simba... what have you done?" he asked the cub softly, putting on a good impression of being shocked.

"There were wildebeest... he tried to save me... it was an accident, I didn't mean for it to happen!" Simba wept.

"Of course, of course it was an accident," Scar put one paw around Simba and pulled him away from the corpse, "No-one ever... means for these things to happen," his tone became cold, "But the king is dead. And if it weren't for you, he'd still be alive."

_Ooooh Scar, you muthafucking sonuvabitch,_ Shenzi thought. Geez, as if it wasn't enough that Scar had just arranged Mufasa's murder and was about to have Simba killed courtesy of them, in the brief last moments of the brat's life, he was going to make the little prince think he was responsible. Even _she_ wouldn't have thought of that one.

"Oh... What will your mother think?" Scar asked Simba, a shocked look on his face.

"What am I gonna do?" Simba sniffled to his uncle.

"Run away, Simba," Scar told him, "_Run_... Run away and never return."

_What a cunning, manipulative bastard you are, Scar,_ Shenzi thought as she walked forward with Banzai and Ed, watching the little brat flee, a smirk on her face. And people had the gall to claim that _hyenas_ were stupid.

Scar didn't even turn around, "Kill him."

The three of them instantly chased after Simba. He had reached the end of the gully, and turned to see the hyenas grinning as they approached him from behind. With no other choice, he scrambled up the rocks, with Banzai in the lead behind him, scoring deep marks in the rock with his claws.

Banzai narrowed his eyes in eagerness. Finally he was gonna get Mufasa's brat... that'd show those lions for hurting Ed, for killing Mosi, for scratching Shenzi, for being assholes on the whole. When Simba leapt over the edge of the almost sheer drop, he didn't even pause, but jumped himself.

He was chasing the cub down the rift for several seconds before Simba rolled out into a huge patch of briars. The cub could fit through them with only a few pricks and scratches. The larger hyenas, however, were another matter, "THORNS! WOAH-WOAH-WOAH!" Banzai screamed, managing to skid to a halt right at the edge.

Then Shenzi thudded into his back. And for a second that was great, but then Banzai remembered who was right behind Shenzi. Ed slammed into _her_ back, propelling Banzai out into the thorns with a scream and a howl.

Shenzi couldn't help herself. She just burst into laughter as she watched Banzai crawling out of those thorns, whimpering. Ed was rolling all over the place at the hilarity of the situation. Then she looked up at their quarry, leaving the other side of the thorns, "Hey! There he goes! There he goes!"

Banzai started to rip the thorns out of his ass with his teeth, "So go get 'im!" he told her.

Shenzi started to laugh again, "There ain't no way I'm going in there!" she told him, "What; you _want_ me to come out looking like you? Cactus Butt?"

Banzai looked at Ed, who had stopped laughing but was now staring at his ass instead and grinning hugely, and spat a mouthful of thorns into his nose. Ed gave a yelp and rubbed his nose, "But we gotta finish the job..." he pointed out, still removing thorns.

Shenzi watched the fleeing fuzzball thoughtfully. Even if they could get through the thorns, it would take them a lot longer, and a lot more pain, to get through than the cub had. Besides, the brat had way too good of a head-start for them to catch up now. On the other hand, he was heading into desert, on his own. What chance did a little lion cub have of survival out there? She let herself imagine what Scar would do to her if she went back and told him that, 'hey, we saw the cub go, but we didn't arse ourselves to follow'. She allowed herself a small shudder.

"Well, he's as good as dead out there anyway," she said finally, "And you heard Scar. He's not coming back. And _if_ he comes back... we'll kill him!"

Banzai grinned, picking the last of the reachable thorns out of his butt, and trotted over to the ledge, "YEAH, YA HEAR THAT?" he screamed as loud as he could, "IF YA EVER COME BACK... WE'LL KILL YA!" The words echoed off the rocks and out to the desert. Snickering, they headed back to Scar.

"Is he dead?" he asked Shenzi, glaring at the female.

Shenzi could lie with a smile on her face. It was part of being in charge, "He ain't gonna get any deader," she returned.

"Good," Scar smirked, "Now you will gather your army and lead them to Pride Rock. If anybody contests my takeover, ensure that they are shown... the error of their ways."

"Gotcha, Scar," Shenzi grinned, "Come on, boys," she told Banzai and Ed, "We've got us an army to conscript."


End file.
